Penang keeps 50% quit rent rebate as MutiaraKu homes top 176,000

Penang will keep its 50% quit rent rebate in 2027. The state also says it has now provided 176,457 Rumah MutiaraKu homes.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow gave the figures when he tabled Budget 2027 on Friday 30 October. The state is also building more homes, such as replacement homes in Perai.

Here is what the rebate means, how the housing target stands and what comes next.

What the quit rent rebate means

Quit rent is the land tax that owners pay to the state each year. Penang has cut that bill by half.

The state will keep the 50% quit rent rebate for 2027, the budget papers show. It applies subject to the relevant conditions.

However, the reports do not list those conditions. Owners should check with the land office before they pay.

Next, the collection figures. The state had collected RM167.59 million by 29 October.

That is up RM51.54 million, or 44.41%, on the RM116.05 million collected in 2025.

Also, the rebate sits inside a budget of RM1.074 billion. The state expects revenue of RM1.069 billion in 2027.

The state has not said what drove the rise in collections. It also has not said how much the rebate costs.

In 2025, the state’s revenue was RM1.26 billion, with a surplus of RM366.93 million.

How far the housing target has come

First, the programme. Rumah MutiaraKu is the state’s affordable housing scheme. The state has now provided 176,457 units, Chow said.

That is 80.21% of the 220,000-unit target for 2030. By our sums, it leaves about 43,500 homes to go.

Next, more homes are on the way. The state expects 22 more projects to yield 18,342 affordable units.

Of those, 13 are Rumah MutiaraKu schemes and nine are urban renewal projects.

Then there is urban renewal, which means rebuilding older housing in place. It often moves residents into newer homes.

However, the reports do not give dates for these projects. They also do not say where they will be built.

Still, the budget cuts development spending by 12.1%, to RM280.17 million. The reports do not say how much of that goes to housing.

Meanwhile, the 176,457 is a running total for the programme. Not all of those units are new this year.

Co-living and what is next

Finally, the state plans to look at co-living. It would apply to state rental homes and People’s Housing Projects, known as PPR.

So the idea is aimed at single people and seniors. Those groups often find it hard to get a family-sized flat.

Still, the reports do not say when a pilot would start. They also give no costs or rules for co-living.

Also, the budget has other help for residents. i-Sejahtera stays at RM58 million. Newlyweds get a one-off RM500.

Then there is the RM600 one-off for e-hailing drivers. Details on who qualifies have not been published.

Chow tabled the budget at the Penang State Legislative Assembly in George Town. The reports do not say when the Assembly will debate it.

In short, the quit rent rebate stays and the housing target is within sight. The details on conditions and dates are still to come.

Dont miss:

Why does PPR Taman Manggis keep ending in locked doors? PBAPP takes proactive actions to face the dry season Artificial grass is bad for environment and harmful to health Penang Institute promotes vocational education portal