Penang quit rent for residential areas will rise by 29–127%, so says a news report.
I am not surprised. Did you really think all those mega-projects, questionable land deals, easy reclamation rights (classified as freehold instead of leasehold) and lopsided deals, would not come at a price in the end? That it would not hurt your pockets in the long run?
What has happened to Penang’s reserves, which have dwindled from RM1.2bn in 2019 to just RM156m in 2024? Tell us, where did all that money go?
For instance, how much has the state spent on CCTV cameras since 2008? How much did the state have to pay for highway construction?
Who pays for the construction of the LRT (when the federal government debt is already RM1.3tn)? Who do you think? What happened to that financing model – that no public funds would be involved in the building of the infrastructure as it would all be financed by sales of reclaimed land? Kaput.
And what happens if the proposed LRT fails to meet ridership projections? Who absorbs the losses in the end? Guess who. It’s not difficult.
It really is not rocket science. This is what happens when you spend beyond your means.
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https://m.aliran.com/thinking-allowed-online/why-walking-to-a-penang-bus-stop-feels-like-hiking-up-a-hill
Time to upgraded long neglected pathways leading to bus stops in Penang.
What is the follow up from Aliran?
Need to be persistent in championing this matter.
Action louder than words.
We hope NGOs can engage CM Chow to upgrade all walkways to be pleasantly safe and comfortable for pedestrians, long neglected since Gerakan days and still not resolved by DAP.
Parents alert,
If your teenage children idolise and watch Japan anime Demon Slayer or Netflix’s Chainsaw Man, be alert about their mental conditioning that killing is common way to relieve problems.
With knifes easily available thru internet shopping, school yards can never be safe with psychologically disturbed teenagers influenced by those reckless violent TV series.
Kids these days don’t watch Tom Jerry, Scooby Doo or Teletubbies.
Teenagers below the age of 16 could soon be barred from using smartphones as the government moves to curb the rising tide of bullying and violence in schools.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said this was among three immediate measures proposed by the cabinet to address the problem.
CM Chow said that to ease the financial impact on all landowners in Penang, the state government has introduced a quit rent rebate mechanism starting in 2026.
A 32.5% quit rent rebate will be implemented in 2026, followed by a 20% rebate in both 2027 and 2028. The rebate will benefit all landowners in the state, regardless of land category or usage.
How is this rebate suppose to benefit our Rakyat in Penang ?
The state government wants to raise the quit rent rate by 29 % to 200% for the next 10 years starting from 2026, on a flimsy excuse that the state has not raise the rates for the past 30 years and that their reserve funds are low.
Do they know how to manage their finance or not ?
Now everything goes up in price. Your salary also go up. Naturally quit rent will go up. This is inflation.
Just go KFC, now dinner plate needs at leat RM25.
The great thing about getting into political power is that you can not only raise expenditure irrelevent to the public (you get to decide when/how to turn on the tap of gushing wealth) but can also extract revenue for that expenditure in various ways. In the case of retail transactions, this is surreptitious. Propaganda takes care of spinning this as great beneolence.
Violence in school in Malaysia (rape and murder)!
Students too free because no UPSR and PMR exams? Or is it due to internet influences?
Should we ban social media for those below 16 as the Australian government has passed such regulation?
Traffic remains a major concern, especially for travellers heading to key terminals like the Penang International Airport. There must be a better coordination and investment in public transport, including more buses, improved connectivity and proper parking bays.
Penang’s strength lies in its food, heritage and culture. But we must get the basics right, like maintaining our facilities, keeping walkways clear and ensuring hygiene so tourists feel safe and welcome.
Priority wrongly set.
Should upgrade and beautify pedestrian walk along Pitt Street (Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling) n Little Indiana sidewalks which are more appealing to tourists, than present investment to upgrade Komtar vicinity that lack appeals to local n foreign tourist when Komtar proven to be a failed mega project (saved by government offices).
Budget 2026: Malaysians aged 18 and above will get another round of RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid in February, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The RM100 will be channelled to 22 million Malaysians in the middle of February 2026.
A health think tank says the government’s move to raise cigarette tax by just two sen per stick in the 2026 budget is a missed opportunity to boost revenue and curb smoking.
The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy said increasing the duty to 77 sen per stick would lift its share of the retail price to 61% and add RM771.8 million to the country’s coffers.
Oct 3 — The Social Security Organisation (Socso) is paying out nearly US$100 million (RM421 million) a year for sugar-related diseases such as diabetes, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said today.
‘Kurang Manis’ should be the way of life, else you may get your feet amputated due to diabetes!
Insulin resistance and stress are critical. Try these or read up:
-Eat veg., protein, carb. in that order; chew well
-Reduce all light veg/seed/nut oils; after 6 months, increase exposure to sunlight
-Keep daily total fats/oils by weight to =< ~10%
-Reduce canned food (due to can lining), sugar, very sweet fruit
– Try potato (not fried), coconut oil, palm fruit juice/kernel oil, raisin, krill oil, black sesame, flaxseed, garlic, tumeric, cinnamon, mustard, fenugreek, AC vinegar.
This Penang Street Food Tour
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cIIy7Za5XMk
From banana leaf curry to cendol, every dish had a story behind it.
By saving RM2,500 every year into EPF’s i-Saraan (a total of RM25,000 over 10 years), you could end up with an estimated RM39,000 at the end of the 10 years.
i-Saraan offers a government incentive on your voluntary EPF contributions, providing a 20% matching contribution up to a maximum of RM500 annually, which is credited directly into your Account 1. This incentive has a lifetime cap of RM5,000, or until you turn 60, and helps grow your retirement savings through compounding and EPF dividends.
Parents can open an EPF account for children below 18, to which EPF adds some amount. When they reach 18, EPF sends it to the child’s own bank account. This another attempt to teach financial prudence (common sense).
Oct 10 — Gig, e-hailing and p-hailing workers will soon receive higher government support under the i-Saraan Plus scheme, with matching contribution incentives of up to RM600 a year, or RM6,000 for life.
Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow has urged the federal government to reconsider its rejection of the Penang International Financial Centre plan, saying the project is vital to the state’s long-term growth.
Chow (PH-Batu Kawan) said the state needed a new economic catalyst to stay competitive and move beyond its reliance on the electrical and electronics, and tourism sectors.
TomTom data from 2024 named George Town, Penang, the city with the worst traffic congestion in Malaysia. Drivers in George Town lost approximately 75 hours per year to rush hour traffic, averaging a travel time of 26 minutes and 36 seconds per 10 kilometers. George Town ranked 73rd globally in terms of worst traffic congestion among 500 cities surveyed.
And yet, we have only about 300 buses in the state.
Strong affinity to car ownership?
Even free bus may not encourage more ridership?
Fear of being considered low-class, and poor service.
Most Malaysians are programmed from young that they only ‘arrive’ when they own and drive a German “BBA” – BMW, Benz (Mercedes-Benz), or Audi.
Happy Deepavali to all.
May the divine light of Deepavali shine bright in your life, illuminating your path to success .
PAS Tuan Ibrahim (PN-Kubang Kerian) has questioned the balance of national development, claiming that more focus has been given to Penang. He pointed out that Penang received RM16.8 billion in funding for a light rail transit (LRT) project, while efforts to complete the East Coast Expressway have been sidelined.
https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/758253
PAS cannot handle finance.
No development in their four states.
They only preach good life in afterlife!
Penang should emulate Sarawak. The government under Premier Abg Jo have done so much in such a short term and have rightfully fought for what belongs to the Sarawak folks
By your reasoning, Abang Jo should have allowed Santubong Beer in Sarawak?
https://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2025/09/19/locally-produced-santubong-beer-pulled-from-shelves-after-facing-government-backlash/
Do not think too highly of Sarawak.
Until they abolish the dasar ekonomi baru in the state for parity regardless of race.
The investigating officer tasked with probing the Penang undersea tunnel project told the sessions court hearing Lim Guan Eng’s graft trial that the RM6.3 billion project was a “land scam”. He said the probe focussed on allegations of power abuse, corruption and dishonest misappropriation of property involving Lim.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/10/14/penang-undersea-tunnel-project-a-land-scam-guan-engs-trial-told
Malaysian opposition party Bersatu’s lack of discipline has given PAS more control. Bersatu’s infighting has weakened it and given conservative coalition partner PAS the upper hand, say ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute researchers.
For many Malays, the Bersatu and PAS union serves as a counter to UMNO’s system of entrenched patronage. But constant feuds risk alienating Malay voters who value stability and clarity of leadership.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/malaysia-politics-bersatu-muhyiddin-azmin-wan-saiful-pas-5388036
Development means building more at public cost to replace nature, even in the sea, regardless of environmental impact, benefit, cost and alternative needs, especially through “negotiated” contracts. We are getting some crumbs from the table now. So let us be “united” in supporting more development. Maybe Mat Salleh will recognise our developed status. 😉
Many still cannot recognise the existence of Rapid Penang, now that RON95 is RM1.99/litre for 300l/month.
Penang has recently established 25 new towns and expanded 10 existing ones after an official boundary amendment on September 4, 2025, reflecting its growth from agricultural areas into a thriving urban state. This major redrawing of the state’s urban map impacts over 210,000 land titles and 184,000 strata titles, with new land tax rates set to take effect in 2026. Key Details New Towns: The state has officially recognized 25 new towns. Existing Towns: The boundaries of 10 existing towns have been expanded. Purpose: This amendment aims to accurately reflect Penang’s transformation from an agricultural landscape into a modern urban… Read more »
Cost of living in Penang:
– The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 8,216.0RM, excluding rent.
– The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 2,292.3RM, excluding rent.
– Penang is 10.1% less expensive than Kuala Lumpur (excluding rent).
– Rent in Penang is, on average, 41.6% lower than in Kuala Lumpur.
” What has happened to Penang’s reserves, which have dwindled from RM1.2bn in 2019 to just RM156m in 2024? Tell us, where did all that money go? “
Is the above stated/linked RM 1.2 bn figure/year for the state reserve fund correct, Anil ?
Got the figures from the Malay Mail news report in the link.
In November 4, 2022, their state mouth piece, ” The Buletin Mutiara” stated that their accumulated financial reserves as of Sept 30 that year was more than RM2 billion
The exact figure given was RM2,004,586,100.95, which also took into account the Consolidated Revenue Account and the Consolidated Trust Account.
So, we, the Penang Rakyat are wondering why is the state now claiming that the state reserve fund as at 2019 was only RM1.15 billion and have decrease to RM155.94 million as at end of 2024.
Good point. I remember that RM2bn figure being mentioned as well. Where has it all gone?
Penang government’s major expenditure from 2020 until 2024:
RM370.45 for I-Sejahtera welfare fund for single mothers, senior citizens, the disabled, top students, housewives and funeral expenses ;
RM174.52 million to counter the COVID pandemic;
RM93.01 on incentives to encourage public transport;
RM69.09 million on state vernacular, religious and missionary schools;
RM68.95 million for maintenance work of public low-cost housing.
Good information for those not reading newspapers. When such expenditures benefit rakyat, many people did not appreciate how money is spent.
In 2018, the previous state admin under LGE handed over about RM 1.8 billion plus of reserve fund to the current state admin.
So, how is it that the current state admin now claims to have only RM 1.15 billion as at 2019. What happened to the difference amounting to about RM650 million ?
Remember they are using this as an excuse to increase the ‘Quit Rent or Cukai Tanah ‘ among others.
The Federal government has been giving out welfare aids of various kind to the Rakyat since the introduction of BR1M. Why do the state also have to do it ? What for ?
Now less money in their coffers and then want to tax Rakyat for some more. Dumb isn’t it ? They think what? We Rakyat got money growing on trees in our backyard ?
As for the religious groups, vernacular schools etc, the Federal government has also been allocating funds for them, some in the amount of RM1 billion plus for 1 year spending.
Why do the state also have to allocate funds for these various groups? What for ? Dumb or what ?
Now say not enough money and want to tax the poor Rakyat some more. ‘Cukai pintu’ have been by raised RM30 to RM40 recently.
As for the introduction of free public transport – a allocation of RM93.01 million, what is the actual ridership against the projected figure ?
Does the buses run on full load ?
Do you take bus?
Do not ask irrelevant questions.
It cannot change people’s mindset after decades of obsession with car ownership.
Obviously, you have no idea what we are talking about. Probably a state apologist.
Our CM made a press statement yesterday relating to this matter. Did you read the news?
State allocation of RM174 million to counter Covid-19 pandemic. For what ? To buy vaccine ? To book vaccination halls? Etc, etc, etc.
Did not the Federal government put aside about RM500 billion to counter the covid-19 pandemic nationally ?