Lim said he had confirmed with SPAN chairman Charles Santiago that rebates could still be offered, Kwong Wah Yit Poh reported.

According to him, Santiago said the Penang government could still apply for a rebate and SPAN would consider it.

“If you don’t believe it, you can ask him,” Lim, who is the Air Putih assemblyman, was quoted as saying.

He was responding to chief minister Chow Kon Yeow, who had defended the water tariff hike by stating that it had been approved by SPAN and that it could not be changed as the new rates had been gazetted.

Lim said Santiago’s confirmation that the state could apply for a rebate meant that “legal obstacles no longer existed”, and Chow should listen to the people and apply for the rebate.

The former finance minister also said his proposal for a 20 sen rebate would give the people of Penang, especially those in the B40 and M40 bracket, time to adapt to the new rates.

He believed that a rebate for one year would not have a huge financial impact on the Penang Water Services Corporation.

He said almost all the backbenchers had asked for a rebate as the increase was “too sudden” and that consumers had “reacted strongly”.

The assemblymen also face pressure, he said, adding that a rebate could help reduce “the anger of the people”.

The new rates are 62 sen for the first 20 cubic metres (up 182% from 22 sen); RM1.17 for the second band above 20 cubic metres to 35 cubic metres (up 154% from 46 sen) and RM2.07 for the third band of more than 35 cubic metres.

In January, Chow had said the B40 group would not be impacted by the tariff hike as they would be eligible for a Family Friendly Rebate scheme which covers B40 households of more than eight people and household income of lower than RM2,250.

Those who qualify for the scheme will receive a rebate of RM10 every month.