GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (pic) has refuted claims that he is out of touch with public concerns in Penang, particularly over the land tax hikes.
He said it was inaccurate to suggest he was not on the ground addressing public grievances, adding that he has consistently engaged with the people through community outreach.
Chow said the ongoing Jelajah Ramadan programme has taken him to all five districts in Penang, enabling him to engage directly with residents and local communities.
“Surprisingly, during my visits throughout Ramadan, the land tax issue was not raised directly to me. Not that it does not exist, but perhaps it was not highlighted during those sessions.
“These outreach efforts are not seasonal; my office organises Jelajah programmes throughout the year. We will remain on the ground, as my team arranges these programmes annually. I believe few leaders can match the extent of my visits across the state,” he said at a press conference in Komtar yesterday.
It was earlier reported that the new land tax calculation has triggered increases of hundreds and even thousands of times, with some owners of village houses and low-cost strata units now facing what they described as an “unacceptable” financial burden.
Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, who is also DAP adviser, had called on Chow to go to the ground to understand the people’s plight over the matter, rather than relying solely on officials’ feedback.
Chow has since defended the state government’s decision, saying some critics omitted key details such as lot size and the actual business or industrial use of their land.
He added that authorities had also identified cases of land tax increases involving land on which multiple buildings, businesses, and factories are already operating. At yesterday’s press conference, Chow also dismissed claims that the state’s land tax data is unreliable.
“That is their interpretation, and it is incorrect. Where mistakes occur, they will be rectified, and some have already been corrected. We have received over 2,000 land tax-related cases, and more than 500 have been resolved. The rest are undergoing verification before a decision is made,” he said.
Chow had earlier said that landowners unable to pay their tax in a lump sum may apply to settle in instalments within the same year. Applications for the 2026 assessment must be submitted before May 31 and, for subsequent years, before April 30.
