Penang Gerakan has washed its hands off the ‘tussle’ between the state and federal governments on the issue of delayed approvals of advertising permit and development licences (APDLs) for housing developers.

Its state youth legal and public complaints bureau chief, Jason Loo, said he was merely playing an opposition role to monitor Penang’s housing policies.

He said the Penang and federal governments were both responsible for the issue, and should play their roles in ensuring the problem was resolved.

“The DAP which has 38 MPs can do something, and do it better in Parliament, instead of just barking from Penang,” Loo said at a press conference today.

He was asked what would Gerakan do to resolve the issue of delay in APDLs, which has affected some 30 developers in Penang.

Real Estate and Housing Developers Association ( Redha ) local branch chairperson, Jerry Chan, said the situation could have arisen because Putrajaya was upset with the Penang governemnt for not approving federal projects in the state.

Chan pointed out the state’s delay in approving seven housing projects by the Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) and eight projects by JKP Sdn Bhd, a federal government-linked agency.

State executive councillor on housing Jagdeep Singh Deo has clarified that the delay was due to the two agencies not complying with cost guidelines for affordable housing.

'Don't drag BN'

Loo said he had criticised the federal government before, but in this matter, the state opposition (BN) should not be dragged into the problem.

“Furthermore, the (Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government) Minister (Abdul Rahman Dahlan) may not know me, and I do not know him personally,” he added.

“Some of the MPs are close to the minister and are seen hugging each other here and there; maybe they can whisper to him (minister) while hugging,” Loo said.

He did not mention any names but was probably referring to photos of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Tourism Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz, who visited Penang during one of his trips, which went viral.

Meanwhile, Loo ticked off Jagdeep for saying that Gerakan was only “opposing state policies for the sake of opposing and that Gerakan is no longer relevant”.

“Crazy, isn’t it? We are an opposition party, doesn’t he (Jagdeep) know the spirit of check and balance? As an opposition, we always counter him with facts, so we hope he won't hide (from us),” he said.

Clear guidelines

Loo urged Jagdeep not to follow in the footsteps of his boss (Guan Eng), who often pointed fingers at others, blaming the previous BN state government for the problems arising in Penang.

He said if the Penang government was transparent, there would be clear guidelines on housing.

“It should not allow case-by-case guidelines which tend to create confusion.

“Since there are 50% households which earn below RM4,000, the state government should also build 50% low-cost or low-medium cost houses, and 50% affordable housing,” Loo said.

“Can’t they (Penang government) understand the concept of supply and demand? Currently, they are building 20% low-cost or low-medium cost housing, and 80% affordable housing,” he added.