Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi, who has been raising the issue of housing within his constituency, has concurred with the Auditor-General's Report 2010 that the state failed to build a single low-cost unit in Penang.

jeff ooi meeting dap disciplinary committee 050811 01 Ooi conceded that the low-cost housing problem within the state is "very real" and the AG's report is damaging to Penang's CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) government.

He added that the report had singled out what he had pointed out earlier - the integrity of data collection of low and medium-cost housing applicants are in serious question due to authorisation loopholes.

"I have said earlier that the supply and demand were not managed properly. Read the AG's report. I don't feel vindicated," he stressed.

Last month, Ooi raised doubts about the integrity of the state government housing unit's list of applicants for low-medium cost housing displayed in Komtar, the state administrative building.

He lamented he had difficulty getting the list and said he felt that the officials in the housing unit had “snubbed” his request, but state executive councillor for housing Wong Hon Wai denied the allegations raised by his colleague.

Delays in approvals

Released on Monday, the AG's report has zeroed in on Penang's housing problems, putting the state government on the spot.

It stated that the Penang government, under Pakatan Rakyat, has failed to built a single low-cost house in the state from 2008 to 2010.

All low-cost units in Penang has been constructed by private developers within the three years, added the report.

A total of 14,059 applicants for low-cost housing and People's Housing Project (PPR) have been registered, with the total number of applicants standing at 152,702, the report said.

A total of 141,497 low-cost housing applicants and 4,146 PPR applicants have been delayed as of Dec 31, 2010, the report added.

The report also listed late approvals, arrears and recollection as weaknesses of the State Secretary's Office Housing Division.

Gov’t builds low-cost homes through PDC

In an immediate response, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it was a practise for the state government to build such units through its development arm, the Penang Development Corporation, or PDC.

"The state government does not directly build such houses but we do it through our implementing agencies like PDC," he told reporters after attending a Deepavali Open House in Time Square, Penang, today.

NONE "The federal government does the same thing, too, through Syarikat Perumahan Negara (SPNB). It is not right to say we did not build a single unit as we do it through our agencies," he added.

He refuted the report saying that currently about 3,000 units, or 30 percent, are being build by several implementing agencies, while 7,000 are being constructed by the private sector.

"This is what we can afford now," he said.

He said the state will present a detail report on the matter at the coming state legislative assembly sitting which resumes on Monday.

Lim added that the state will review the items raised in the AG's report and will respond accordingly.

"The AG’s report states that we are performing well in terms of financial management, and that we are among the best in the country," he said.

"In terms of debts, we have reduce it to RM30 million this year - one of the best performance in the country, Where debts in other states are rising, ours is reducing," he said.