State executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo has expressed shock that the federal government wants its housing projects approved before it will build the people’s housing or PR1MA units in Penang.

“This is the first time that I am hearing this,” Jagdeep said, referring to the statement by the Penang Federal Action Council chairperson, Zainal Abidin Osman, as reported by Bernama on June 28.

“The federal government keeps telling me that it is in the process of identifying a suitable site to build the PR1MA houses (which is why it is yet to build the units),” Jagdeep, who is in charge of housing, told a press conference today.

He cited two letters from the federal government which, he said, clearly stated that PR1MA will arrive on the shores of Penang after a proper location has been identified.

The letters are from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim ( photo ), dated Nov 25 last year, and from PR1MA executive officer Abdul Mutalib Alias, dated May 13 this year.

“Never did they say that the building of PR1MA units in Penang is subject to the state’s approval of housing schemes by the the federal agencies JKP Sdn Bhd and Perda (Penang Rural Development Authority).

“We have solid reasons why we are yet to approve these projects, reasons which I have been explaining over and over again since October last year,” Jagdeep added.

He said it was “necessary and imperative” for Zainal Abidin to explain what was happening to the PR1MA units.

Bernama reported Zainal Abidin as saying that the Penang government should not question the federal government's PR1MA housing project when its plans for low-cost, low-medium cost and affordable housing units submitted two years ago have yet to be approved.

'Approval from JKP and Perda being delayed'

Zainal Abidin said the approval for the applications from the agencies such as JKP Sdn Bhd and Perda for the construction of 9,500 low-cost and affordable housing units have been delayed and called for the plans to be speedily approved by the DAP-led government.

   

He also clarified that the plans for the PR1MA units was in the third phase and would benefit some 35,00 families, but these could not be built as phase one, involving 9,500 units, have yet to be approved.

The second phase, which will benefit some 25,000, is also yet to be approved, Zainal Abidin ( photo ) added.

Jagdeep said Penangites are the third highest taxpayers in the country and have paid a sum RM6.9 billion to the federal government last year.

“They have a right to the PR1MA housing. We are still waiting for the federal government’s application to build the houses, and we will give it priority,” he said.

Jagdeep said the issue of Penang delaying approval of the housing projects by JKP and Perda is an old issue which has been “recycled” over time.

He said the state government had solid reasons for rejecting the applications, and that eventually, “logic and reason” would prevail.

He reminded Zainal that not 100 percent of the federal agencies' projects were related to affordable housing as there were units to be sold at RM1.8 million (on the island) and RM800,000 (on the mainland).

This is beyond the state government's cap on prices for affordable housing, which is RM400,000 (on the island) and RM250,000 (on the mainland).

Jagdeep called on the federal government to resolve the PR1MA housing issue in a “responsible and thoughtful manner” so that those who are truly needy would be able to own houses.