GEORGE TOWN: The hike in quit rent in Penang has affected smallholders who rely on agricultural land to sustain their families, says Penang MCA.
Its chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng (pic) said many of them operate small-scale orchards or agricultural plots with unstable incomes.
He said the sudden increase in quit rent had significantly raised their financial burden, making them the immediate victims of the policy.
“These smallholders are not large developers or investment groups. They are ordinary grassroots farmers who work hard to manage orchards and agricultural land.
“The state government should take into account the realities faced by these small agricultural communities. Otherwise, it would reflect a serious disconnect from the concerns of the rakyat,” he said in a statement on Thursday (March 12).
Tan said the information was gathered by an action committee formed by the party’s state liaison committee following the state government’s announcement to raise rural and urban quit rent.
He said the committee had systematically collected feedback and real cases from smallholders before compiling and submitting them to the state government so that the authorities could better understand the difficulties faced by these farmers.
He added that some smallholders were also dissatisfied with the lack of sufficient explanation and consultation before the policy was announced.
“Smallholders are already dealing with fluctuating produce prices and rising production costs.
“Introducing a quit rent increase at such a time will undoubtedly place even greater pressure on them.
“These farmers depend on their land to earn a living, yet they now face greater economic strain because of the higher quit rent.
“The government’s responsibility is to support grassroots agricultural communities, not impose additional burdens when they are already shouldering multiple pressures.
“The Penang government should engage in dialogue with smallholders to develop a more reasonable and fair solution,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state government had received 1,025 appeals from landowners statewide as of 9am on Thursday following the implementation of the revised land tax structure.
Of these, 515 appeals involved concerns over higher tax rates arising from the reassessment of land based on current usage, particularly for first-grade titles and land parcels without specific land categories or conditions.
Chow said the state government had reviewed the appeals and agreed to several refinements to ensure the taxation system remains fair and consistent.
He said the refinements were intended to address inconsistencies and ensure a more equitable land tax framework across the state.
He urged affected landowners to submit their appeals through the relevant district and land offices if they require further clarification or reassessment of their tax rates.
