Penang Umno liason committee chief Zainal Abidin Osman has hit out at the state government for not building any low-cost homes for the poor since it took over in 2008.

Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, penang umno chief Speaking on the dismal status of approvals for low-cost housing projects, Zainal Abidin ( left ) urged for speedier action as the state government should keep the interest of the people close at heart.

This, he added, should be in line with the state government's much-promoted CAT (competency, accountabililty and transparency) policy for good governance.

Zainal Abidin, who was the former Nibong Tebal MP, said the state should not discriminate against a housing project merely because it was handled by the federal government.

"The state government has the power to approve the projects. If it cannot provide low cost housing, it should not try to block the federal government from doing it," he said after a walkabout session in Bukit Mertajam which begun about 8.30am.

"The federal government has the same intention (as the state) to do what is beneficial to the people," he added.

'Filtered' housing projects

Zainal was referring to state opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim's comment yesterday that since Pakatan Rakyat's rule, housing projects, especially by federal agencies, are "filtered" and needed to comply with many requirements before they were approved.

The affected agencies, he added included the State Bumiputra Steering Committee (JKP), Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda), Mara and Urban Development Authority (Uda).

Azhar, who is Penaga assemblyperson, questioned why the projects must be brought before the local authority and a one-stop agency chaired by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Private sector layout plans were approved at the local authority level, he said, and queried why certain federal agencies had to be scrutinised by the one-stop agency.

"Houses built by agencies like Perda were affordable housing, with the most expensive one priced below RM300,000, which was cheaper than the RM500,000 houses in Balik Pulau," he had said.

 Floods caused

In an immediate response to Azhar yesterday, Lim denied that projects by federal agencies were delayed by the state government.

NONE He added that there should not be any problems as long as developers complied with proper rules and procedure.

"The problem is when the federal agencies break rules and cause floods in neighbouring areas such as Kampung Nelayan in Balik Pulau. That's when action will be taken," Lim said.

Meanwhile, Zainal Abidin urged the state government to provide allocations for the building of low- or medium-cost houses for the rakyat.

He also said the state government should not ignore any tenders by developers who wish to build houses for the poor.

However, he appears to believe that such incidents do occur, adding "whatever (low-cost) housing being build today are based on old approvals (when BN was in power before 2008)".

He said these houses were needed by Penangites of all races, not just bumiputras, therefore, a fast track approval system for these kinds of projects needed to be urgently implemented.

Zainal Abidin advised Pakatan leaders holding state government positions not to merely act according to their political aspirations.

"When BN was in power, it never considered if someone was a voter in Penang or not. We would provide the necessary aid according to the person's identity card (which details place of birth and home address)," he said.

"If we had to work based on politics alone, then this country would be in chaos," he added.