GEORGE TOWN, Dec 26 — The Penang government is granting a 100 per cent exemption from quit rent and parcel rent penalty arrears to all land and parcel owners in the state who make payments for the two taxes from January 2 to February 28, 2025.

The Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement today that the matter was agreed upon in the Government Executive Council (MMK) meeting last week.

The meeting also agreed to provide a 50 per cent reduction in land and parcel tax penalty arrears to all land and parcel owners who make payments from March 1 to May 31, 2025.

"Both the incentives and the offer are also extended to landowners or parcels who have received Notice of Penalty 6A (land tax) or Notice of Penalty 11 (parcel tax), however, the offer is not extended to payers who make payments in instalments,” the statement said.

The Chief Minister’s Office also stressed that the offer is not retrospective and cannot be enjoyed by land or parcel owners who make late payment of fine arrears before the date of the exemption and reduction comes into effect.

According to the statement, checks found that there were high arrears of late fines involving 40,371 land tax accounts and 67,537 parcel tax accounts in Penang amounting to nearly RM40.1 million.

"If land and parcel owners do not pay the land tax and parcel tax immediately, it is feared that their land or parcels will be forfeited by the State Authority due to the existing arrears,” the statement said.

The discount incentives are aimed at encouraging land and parcel owners to pay tax for 2025 at an earlier period as well as to ease the burden on owners who have high tax penalty arrears due to non-payment before May 31 every year.

In this regard, the state government hopes that all land and parcel owners can take the opportunity to make their respective payments as soon as possible from Jan 2 to enable them to enjoy the exemption from the arrears of fines offered.

Payment can be made through the revenue counter of the District and Land Office or online through the portal, PgLAND on a lump sum basis. — Bernama