The Penang government is questioning why only one out of 101 applications for the 1Malaysia Maintenance Fund (TP1M) has been approved under the Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Ministry.

State executive councillor for housing, urban and rural planning Jagdeep Singh Deo said the applications have been sent to the ministry since August last year.

"However, only one out of the 101 applications - which had been received by the ministry in April this year - was approved in the same month," he told reporters in Komtar today.

"The one application - which was only recently sent out - approved was for Taman Emas, Sungai Batu Teluk Kumbar," he added, referring to the project under the Balik Pulau constituency.

NONE Jagdeep ( left ) said his office has written to Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan yesterday to request for his advice on the matter.

He urged the minister to reveal the current status of all the applications, while requesting for a meeting with the ministry to sort out the issue within 30 days of the issue date of the letter.

"We want to know if the ministry is still interested in this programme. They must fulfill their promises to repair and maintain the housing projects," said Jagdeep.

"If they are not interested, they have to tell us so we can inform the public," he added.

The RM500 million TP1M was launched on Jan 31, 2010 under the then Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Ministry for repairs and maintenance of low cost and low-medium cost housing by the private sector.

In September last year, the Penang government approved a RM50 million fund dubbed ‘Housing Assisted Programme of Penang, Yes!’ (HAPPY!) to ensure that the federal-funded TP1M is smoothly implemented.

Committee to join Penang Housing Dept

"Following this, the Penang and Seberang Perai municipal councils' Building Commissions have sent 53 and 48 applications respectively to the Penang Federal Development Office on August and September last year," said the Datok Keramat assemblyperson.

Meanwhile, Jagdeep announced that the state's Selection Process Enhancement Committee on Housing will now join the Penang Housing Department to vet the applications for low and low-medium cost homes.

Previously, the applications have been vetted and approved by three officers from the Penang Housing Department.

The committee is currently headed by Jagdeep, with its other members including MPs Ng Wei Aik (Tanjung), Jeff Ooi (Jelutong) and Sim Tze Tzin (Bayan Baru), and assemblypersons Phee Boon Poh (Sungai Puyu) and Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah).

NONE It is noted that Phee is also the state executive councillor for caring society, welfare and environment.

Ooi ( left ) said that there are many housing projects involving millions and for only three officers to sit on the selection committee is "not a very good move as problems may arise".

"One realistic example is that there are 17 low and medium cost projects in Penang, building about 150 units each, costing between RM72,500 to RM150,000," and the total cost can reach about RM382,000," he added.

On another note, Jagdeep said that his office was still awaiting information on applications which were "overqualified", but approved to receive low and medium cost housing from the Penang government.

He added that from now on, the name list of applications approved would be put up at Komtar Level 3 - in the service centres of MPs and assemblypersons - for public scrutiny.

"This is to allow the public to protest if there were any overqualified applications. The process is going on, but not many know that they can do such a thing.

"We are trying to widen the net to attract more publicity so that people know there is a process to object (against) unqualified applications," said Jagdeep.