KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — DAP’s Air Putih assemblyman Lim Guan Eng has urged the Penang government to emulate Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by deferring increases in fees, quit rent and water tariffs to ease the financial burden on businesses and households.

Lim said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and state executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari should adopt the same reformist approach and political will to fulfil the election manifesto and ease the cost of living for Penang residents.

He said many landowners in Penang were struggling to cope with sharply higher quit rent this year, particularly amid an uncertain economic outlook and rising fuel prices linked to the US-Iran conflict.

“Chow Kon Yeow should defer all increases until the global economy and its outlook become stable again,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Lim also criticised Zairil for refusing to support a postponement of the 20-sen increase in the water tariff per cubic metre, which took effect on July 1.

He said the increase would generate an additional RM20 million a year for Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP), but would have a negative impact on 1.8 million Penang residents.

Lim cited PBAPP’s financial results, saying its pre-tax profit more than doubled from RM23.1 million in the first quarter of 2025 to RM49.6 million in the same period this year.

He said PBAPP’s RM49.6 million pre-tax profit for the first three months of 2026 was already more than double the RM20 million in additional annual revenue expected from the tariff increase.

“Therefore, if the water tariff increase is deferred for one year, PBAPP should be able to withstand it financially,” he said.

Lim added that should PBAPP urgently require the RM20 million, the state government could seek a federal grant or loan instead.

He questioned why the federal government would reject such assistance, claiming Putrajaya owed Penang RM2.8 billion after returning only RM7.9 billion of the RM10.7 billion contributed by the state between 2023 and 2025.

“Where there is a will, there is a way; as long as the state government continues to put the people first rather than PBA Holdings Bhd,” he said.