Fauzi, who is also the state opposition leader, said blanket rates should not apply to village houses, low-cost houses, mixed-use buildings, and businesses.

He said the current zoning structure, in which areas are classified as being urban or rural, does not account for the reality of life in local communities.

“The Penang opposition does not reject the need to increase the state’s revenue, but it cannot be done in a manner that burdens the public during these difficult times,” he said in a statement.

Fauzi said the people are already shouldering the burden of the widened sales and services tax, and despite basic goods being exempted, the move has affected the supply chain, causing the prices of daily goods to increase.

His comments were similar to those of Ratepayers Penang,  which said on Friday the new rates should be postponed to 2029, and called for the state government to review its plans.

The new quit rent on individual homes in urban areas will be 70 sen per sq metre from Jan 1, up by 16 sen, while the rate for rural land goes up by 22 sen to 50 sen per sq m.

Businesses will pay RM3.25 per sq m in urban areas and RM2.80 in rural areas, while the industrial rate is raised from RM1.29 to RM3.25 per sq m.