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Friday, May 29, 2026

Land tax rates cut

1 –15, 2026 BULETIN MUTIARA Story by K.H. Ong Pix by Law Suun Ting L ANDOWNERS in Penang will benefit from the state government’s newly announced revision to the 2026 Land Tax mechanism.

“Under the revision, First Grade land without planning approval, as well as land with Nil category and unspecified land use conditions (NIL), will be reclassified as 'Building Use' for tax purposes,” Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said at a press conference in Komtar recently.

He added that the move is aimed at reducing the financial burden on landowners, particularly those with commercial and industrial land that did not obtain proper planning approval.

Under the new mechanism, he said urban land will be taxed at RM0.70 per sq metre, and rural land at RM0.50 per sq metre, compared with the previously proposed RM3.25 per sq metre for commercial or industry.

“However, landowners in this category will no longer be eligible for the existing 50 per cent rebate, as they are already enjoying a significant reduction in land tax rates,” he said.

Also present were Penang Land and Mines director Datuk Dr Faizal Kamarudin and Northeast district officer Isma Suhaimi Shariff.

Chow said the adjustment was a refinement of the 2026 land tax review, designed to help landowners while ensuring a fair and people-centric approach.

He also urged landowners to proactively develop their land through proper legal channels to support Penang’s growth and development.

“As of 31 March 2026, the state’s District Land Offices received 4,001 appeals and feedback submissions,” Chow said.

“Of these, 2,885 involved significant increases in land taxes, including First Grade land deeds, rural-to-urban reclassifications, durian agricultural land, hillside properties, and rate adjustments. The remaining 1,116 cases involved technical issues like buildings spanning multiple lots, financial difficulties, abandoned projects, non-profit organisations, and idle land.”

Currently, 3,043 cases are being actively processed by District Land Offices and the Penang Land and Mines Office.

At the press conference, Chow also announced several tax relief measures and incentives (see accompanying infographic).

Chow noted that these measures have been widely accepted by stakeholders and stressed the importance of following proper planning procedures for future land development.

As of March 31, 2026, over 163,000 landowners, representing more than 54% of active taxpayers in 2025, had completed their land tax payments.

Chow urged landowners to submit any remaining appeals to the District Land Offices before the April 30 deadline, although late submissions will still be considered on a case-bycase basis.

The revised mechanism, he said, reflects careful deliberation by the State Executive Council (Exco), taking into account feedback from landowners, comparisons with other states, and the need to mitigate the impact of tax rate increases while promoting development in Penang.

On April 3, Chow visited the Northeast District payment counter at Komtar to see its operations.

During his visit, he reiterated that all schools across the state need to pay a nominal RM50 rate per lot, and advised respective schools to check their tax bills via the PgLand portal and make payment either online or at counters statewide.

The following day, Chow handed over the revised land tax bills to SRJK(C) Sin Ya and SMJK(C) Jit Sin in Seberang Perai in a symbolic handover during his visit.

Chow said the visit was aimed at delivering the revised bills following the state government’s earlier decision to grant a nominal land tax rate to 398 schools statewide, covering about 522 land lots in total

. He reiterated that the RM50 rate applies regardless of land ownership, including cases where school land is held by companies or trustees, ensuring all schools benefit from the latest land tax review.

Source:

May 1 –15, 2026

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Govt urged to expedite Residential Tenancy Act

Expedite Residential Tenancy Act to protect homeowners, says group

The National House Rental Association has urged the government to expedite the enactment and implementation of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) to protect innocent homeowners from being penalised for illegal activities carried out by their tenants. FILE PIC

he National House Rental Association has urged the government to expedite the enactment and implementation of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) to protect innocent homeowners from being penalised for illegal activities carried out by their tenants. FILE PIC

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has to expedite the enactment and implementation of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) to safeguard the rights and interests of homeowners and tenants, says the National House Rental Association (NHRA).

Its president Prakash P. Kalivanan said the move is necessary amid growing public concern over the misuse of rented residential properties for illegal activities such as bitcoin mining operations, prostitution, harbouring illegal immigrants, storing stolen goods, loansharking activities and other unlawful conduct.

He said that under existing laws, homeowners could face investigation or possible legal action if authorities determine that they had knowledge of the illegal activities or failed to take reasonable steps to prevent such activities from taking place on their property.

“As president of NHRA, I would like to emphasise that the majority of homeowners rent out their properties in good faith and are often unaware of the activities carried out by irresponsible tenants.

“Many property owners are ordinary Malaysians who rely on rental income as part of their financial commitments and should not be unfairly victimised due to the actions of tenants acting without their knowledge,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Prakash said NHRA strongly believes that Malaysia urgently requires a comprehensive RTA to provide proper legal protection and clearer guidelines for both homeowners and tenants.

“Such legislation would help regulate the residential rental market more effectively by outlining the rights, responsibilities and obligations of all parties involved,” he said, Bernama reported.

He said the introduction of a comprehensive RTA is necessary to create a balanced, transparent and legally protected rental ecosystem in Malaysia, while helping to reduce disputes, improve accountability and provide clearer enforcement mechanisms involving tenancy-related issues.

At the same time, Prakash said homeowners must exercise reasonable responsibility and diligence when renting out their properties, including taking precautionary measures to protect themselves from potential legal complications.

He said among the measures suggested were preparing proper written tenancy agreements, conducting tenant verification and background checks, carrying out periodic inspections of rented premises and maintaining proper documentation related to tenancy arrangements.

“NHRA believes that responsible homeowners should not be held accountable for criminal acts committed without their knowledge or consent.

“However, both landlords and tenants must play their part in ensuring that rented residential properties are used lawfully and responsibly,” Prakash added.

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Ills of having no will, Never too late to write a will

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Ignorance, cultural attitudes cause many to overlook estate planning

by ALLISON LAI

The total amount in frozen inheritance assets and unclaimed money has surged past the Rm100bil mark, with possessions of the deceased not distributed smoothly due to a lack of estate planning. As for uncollected funds, amounts range from small sums up to thousands of ringgit and more.

KUALA LUMPUR: Frozen inheritance assets has reached a staggering RM90bil, with experts attributing this to a lack of estate planning among Malaysians.

According to official statistics, the frozen assets include properties, shares, investments, and other capital belonging to deceased persons that cannot be distributed yet due to unresolved legal or administrative matters.

And if this does not pose a big enough headache, there is also the total in unclaimed money which stands at RM13bil.

ALSO READ: Planning ahead will save family the stress

The Accountant-General’s Department listed unclaimed money to include salaries, dormant bank accounts, insurance payouts, and deposits yet to be claimed by the rightful individuals; amounts range from several ringgit up to thousands of ringgit and more.

While frozen inheritance assets involve the estates of the deceased, unclaimed money can also entail living individuals.

Financial Planning Association of Malaysia general manager Alice Wong said many younger professionals and middle-income earners in the country still believe that estate planning is only necessary for the wealthy or elderly.

With such a mindset, many do not consider writing a will, she said.

“The reality is, if you have assets and dependants and a wish for how things should be handled after you are gone, a will is relevant,” she said in a recent interview.

Wong said cultural attitudes also play a role, as many families remain uncomfortable discussing death and inheritance matters.

She said many mistakenly believe that assets will automatically go to the “right people”.

“If you die without a will, your estate is distributed according to the Distribution Act for non-Muslims, which follows a fixed legal formula that may have nothing to do with what you actually want,” Wong pointed out.

She said another common misconception is that a will alone will allow families immediate access to assets.

“In practice, assets are often frozen upon death, and the will still needs to go through the courts to obtain a Grant of Probate before anything can be distributed,” she said.

A Grant of Probate is a court document that gives an executor – usually a trusted family member, friend or named lawyer – the authority to manage and distribute a deceased person’s estate according to the will.

Wong said some people also wrongly assume verbal promises or informal notes to be sufficient

“Spoken instructions and casual, unwitnessed writings carry no legal weight and are one of the biggest causes of family disputes after someone passes away,” she said.

Wong advised Malaysians to start with a legally valid will, review their Employees Provi-dent Fund and insurance or takaful nominations regularly, and keep proper records of assets and liabilities.

“Estate planning does not have to be overwhelming. Getting proper guidance early can save your family a great deal of stress and complications down the road,” she said.

Lawyer Joshua Kong said a common legal problem families face when someone dies without proper estate planning is disagreements over how inherited properties should be handled.

“The root of the problem is that a property suddenly has multiple new legal owners after the death, and these new owners disagree on whether it should be sold, or for how much,” he said.

Kong said a properly considered and drafted will could potentially prevent years of legal disputes among surviving family members.

“A will can dictate how the deceased’s properties are to be dealt with, including how it should be sold and who gets the proceeds of the sale,” he said.

If there is no will, Kong said distribution of assets for non- Muslims will instead follow the Distribution Act, which determines how an estate is divided among surviving family members.

He said disputes involving inherited properties could become increasingly complicated over time, especially when beneficiaries themselves die and their shares are transferred to the next generation of heirs.

“Those next of kin may have different ideas on how to deal with the property, and the cycle continues,” he said.

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Enhance fraud detection, checking banking fraud

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Calls for improvements in detecting suspicious banking transactions

The issue has come under renewed focus following a Sessions Court ruling ordering a bank to compensate a customer RM166,000 over suspicious online transactions that went undetected.

As scams evolve, banks are facing heightened urgency to identify unusual transaction patterns and act fast, particularly as fraudsters exploit human behaviour and then move in to breach banking systems.

At a Bank Negara workshop on consumer protection and fair conduct reforms, its officers said existing laws protect the confidentiality of customer information and personal data in the financial sector.

“Financial institutions are robust but there is always room for improvements,” the officers said yesterday.

They said enforcement actions had been taken in instances where breaches were identified, including requiring the institutions involved to implement corrective action plans.

The officers also said Bank Negara continued to monitor banks on consumer protection and compliance matters.

In its latest annual report, the central bank stressed the need to strengthen fraud detection systems and reinforce internal safeguards to combat sophisticated online scams.

The central bank said banks and non-bank financial institutions were required to adopt advanced fraud detection measures and strengthen internal safeguards to quickly intercept suspicious transactions.

It also stressed for a proactive approach to prevent fraudulent transactions from escalating.

The central bank said that in recent years, financial institutions had strengthened various security measures including tighter fraud detection rules and triggers, cooling-off periods for new device registrations and stronger authentication methods.

These measures contributed to a 52% decline in unauthorised fraudulent transactions involving malware and phishing reported in 2024, and prevented over Rm399mil in attempted fraudulent transactions, it said.

However, Bank Negara also acknowledged that fraud patterns were becoming increasingly complex and harder to distinguish from genuine customer activity.

Bank Negara said banks and consumers shared responsibility for safeguarding digital banking security, but reiterated that financial institutions had to determine whether weaknesses in their internal controls contributed to fraud incidents.

It also introduced the Selfcompensation Framework for Fraud Transactions (SEFT) under its Policy Document on Ensuring Fair Treatment for Victims of Unauthorised e-banking Transactions.

SEFT outlines how banks should assess fraud cases and determine compensation based on the responsibilities of both financial institutions and customers.

According to Bank Negara, more than 95% of online fraud cases in Malaysia involved authorised transactions – where victims were manipulated into willingly transferring money to scammers.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) vice-president Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham agreed that banks should adopt more proactive intervention measures when transactions appear inconsistent with a customer’s normal behaviour.

“Banks are clearly not doing enough. Fraudsters now exploit human behaviour more than banking systems,” she said.

“Banks must transition from passive logging to active, pre-emptive intervention.”

https://www.thestar.com.my › nation › 2026/05/22 › sle...

Sleek scams call for both banks, customers to play their part

The Star

https://www.thestar.com.my › nation › 2026/05/22 › sle...

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Head-of-state diplomacy guides China-Russia relations to ‘new heights’

Photo: Xinhua

On May 20, Beijing witnessed another important moment in the development of China-Russia relations. Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, with the two sides agreeing to further extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

President Xi outlined efforts to promote higher-quality development of China-Russia relations in four dimensions, during a joint press meeting with President Putin after the talks: First, Xi called for efforts to consolidate higher-quality political mutual trust and strengthen strategic support for each other; second, Xi stressed the need for China and Russia to empower higher-quality mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly promote their respective development and revitalization; third, Xi stressed the need to promote higher-quality people-to-people exchanges and strengthen the foundation for lasting friendship between the two peoples across generations; and fourth, Xi called on China and Russia to pursue higher-quality international coordination and work together to reform and improve global governance. These four dimensions clearly chart a path for the higher-quality development of China-Russia relations from a new starting point.

This visit yielded fruitful outcomes and carried far-reaching significance. The two heads of state signed a joint statement on further enhancing the comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation between the two countries, and witnessed the conclusion of a number of important bilateral cooperation documents. The two countries also issued a joint statement on promoting a multipolar world and a new type of international relations. In addition, the two heads of state also attended the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Years of Education. In a single day, such an intensive schedule of activities, with so many major outcomes being introduced one after another, is fully evident that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era is characterized by full substance, a high level of mutual trust, a solid foundation, and broad prospects.

Standing at the historical juncture marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, and the launch year of the China-Russia Years of Education, the two heads of state once again held face-to-face communication. This not only injects new political momentum into bilateral relations, but also sends a clear signal of stability, cooperation, and mutual benefit to the world. This shows that the two countries regard the development of bilateral relations as a long-term strategic choice, rather than a matter of expediency. As President Xi emphasized, "As permanent members of the UN Security Council and important major countries in the world, China and Russia should take a strategic and long-term perspective, drive the development and revitalization of our respective countries through comprehensive strategic coordination of even higher quality, and work to make the global governance system more just and reasonable."

What does a strategically far-sighted China-Russia relationship mean for the world? First, it means a stronger safeguard for global peace and stability. By upholding the international system centered on the United Nations and adhering to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, China and Russia serve as key forces in opposing hegemony, promoting multipolarity, and stabilizing the global situation. Moreover, the forces defending international fairness and justice have become stronger. China and Russia maintain close ties under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, and the G20, jointly safeguarding the legitimate development rights and interests of Global South countries. Both sides remain firmly committed to defending the post-World War II international order and the authority of international law, opposing all forms of unilateral bullying and actions that seek to reverse the course of history, especially provocations that deny the outcomes of World War II and attempt to whitewash and revive fascism and militarism. Together, they are working to build a more just global governance system. History shows that when China and Russia stand firmly together, there is greater hope for international fairness and justice, greater certainty amid once-in-a-century global changes, and greater strength for human progress and development.

At present, the international landscape is marked by turbulence and uncertainty, with various forms of "unpredictability" posing major challenges to peace and development. Against this backdrop, China and Russia's willingness and ability to "take a strategic and long-term perspective" is itself an important contribution to the international community. This strategic resolve demonstrates that the two countries consistently uphold the principles of "non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party." They adhere to equality, mutual respect, good faith, and win-win cooperation. The China-Russia relationship, which transcends traditional military and political alliances, is a model for interactions between major powers and neighboring countries alike. It possesses strong internal momentum and enduring strategic resilience, and has become a key stabilizing factor amid global uncertainty.

Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have reached a new starting point. China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is not about creating confrontation, but about opposing hegemony; not about exclusivity, but about upholding multilateralism; not about zero-sum rivalry, but about promoting common security and shared development. The China-Russia relationship that has entered a new stage of "greater achievements and faster development" aligns with the global trend toward peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. It benefits both countries and the world.

China and Russia are good neighbors and friends who stand together through adversity; and valuable partners that help each other succeed. Standing at a new historical starting point, China-Russia relations will continue to maintain strategic resolve amid changing global circumstances, unleash potential through mutually beneficial cooperation, and demonstrate responsibility amid international transformation. As the two countries move together toward a future of higher-quality development, they will inject strong momentum into each other's growth and national rejuvenation. China-Russia close strategic coordination on the international stage will also continue to serve as an important stabilizing force in a turbulent world, making irreplaceable contributions as major countries to safeguarding international fairness and justice and to building a more just and reasonable global governance system.