Penang is allocated only 70 units out of the 20,454 affordable houses the federal government plans to provide for Malaysians under Budget 2013.

suaram forum on police 260910 wong hon wai The Penang government is disappointed as this is a mere 0.35 percent of the total number, the state executive councillor in charge of housing, Wong Hon Wai ( right ), said today.

"It shows how little BN's commitment is. It is a clear proof that (MCA president) Dr Chua Soi Lek has been (giving) empty talks all this while," added Wong, who is also in-charge of town and country planning.

"He did not use his position and authority as MCA president to direct his colleagues in charge of the Housing Ministry to channel the necessary support for Penangites," said Wong, who is the assemblyperson for Air Itam.

"I would like to remind Chua not to continue lying about housing issues in Penang."

Chua asks for statistics and locations

Wong was referring to Chua's latest statement in The Star , urging Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to show "statistics and pinpoint the locations" where the state government has built thousands of affordable units.

He was quoted as saying yesterday that Lim had been "bragging" that Penang had built the affordable units, yet nobody seemed to know where these were located.

NONE "This is especially so when 100,000 families in Penang earning below RM7,000 a month have yet to own houses, as house prices are beyond their means," Chua is quoted as saying by the MCA-owned English language daily.

Wong said the federal government's policy was in contrast with that of Pakatan Rakyat, in that Pakatan has allocated RM500 million to realise the affordable housing scheme.

He said Penang had "great plans" to develop 18,000 units of affordable housing on the island and on the mainland.

The localities included Jalan SP Chelliah (in George Town), Teluk Kumbar (southwest of the island), Ampang Jajar (Seberang Perai North), Bukit Mertajam (Seberang Perai Central) and Batu Kawan (Seberang Perai South).

Here's proof of low-medium cost units

Since March 2008 and up to July 31 this year, Wong said, 14,702 low- and medium-cost units have been issued certificates of occupancy by the Penang and Seberang Perai municipal councils.

"There are 47 projects on the island and in Seberang Perai, and the state has played its part in facilitating the building of affordable houses with projects such as Desa Nipah (in Balik Pulau), which is a five-storey apartment with units costing RM35,000 each.

"At Taman Sungai Duri Permai in Seberang Perai, there is a landed town house scheme with units priced at RM38,000 each. These are some examples in the long list of affordable housing for the rakyat in Penang," Wong said.

As for low- and medium-cost units, he added, 15,246 units have been issued with planning permission for construction between 2008 and July this year, while there another 62 projects were in various stages of approval and construction.