GEORGE TOWN, Jan 2 — The Penang government has decided to give tax assessment rebates amounting to RM24.5 million to 649,950 taxpayers this year.

State Housing, Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo today said that taxpayers residing in low-cost (LC), low-medium cost (LMC) and village houses in Penang were granted a 100 per cent rebate on the increase of tax assessment rate for 2021 which was approved earlier.

He said other housing units in Penang not categorised under LC, LMC or village housing were given a 50 per cent rebate on the increase of tax assessment rate for this year.

"The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has granted an overall of RM10.3 million in tax assessment rebates for Penang island, whereas the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) provided a total of RM14.2 million rebates on the mainland,” he said in a press conference here.

Last year, a total of RM47.3 million in tax assessment rate was not collected by both Penang city councils to ease the burden of taxpayers.

He said the waiver was given according to the Local Government Act 1976, which includes allowing the public to make their objections with regard to the increase of tax assessment.

Among the main objections to the increase was that it was too sudden and imposed at a time when the people were struggling with the high cost of living amid the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.

Earlier today, Jagdeep attended the "Back to School” programme with Jelutong Member of Parliament RSN Rayer and Malaysia Hindhudharma Maamandram (Penang branch) chairman NK Thanabalan at the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) here.

Thanabalan, who organised the programme, said that 200 Penang students from the B40 community were given a RM100 voucher to purchase school uniforms, bags and necessary utensils.

"This is the third year we held such a programme,” he added. — Bernama