Umno’s recent announcement that 16,297 units of affordable housing projects under PR1MA have been approved by Penang’s local councils is inaccurate, said state housing executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo.

According to records by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), the two local authorities have approved planning permission for only 3,071 units, Jagdeep said.

At a press conference in Komtar today, Jagdeep (photo) showed a letter issued by MBPP mayor Maimunah Mohd Sharif on Sept 17, which stated that only two PR1MA projects on the island have been approved by the council.

They are 1,248 units by developer Eastscape Vista Sdn Bhd in Batu Ferringhi, 1,117 and 706 units by Ideal Capital Venture Sdn Bhd on Plot B and Plot C respectively, in Kampung Kastam.

He also showed another letter dated Oct 11 from MPSP secretary Rosnani Mahmod, which stated that the council has yet to receive any applications for planning permission for PR1MA housing in Seberang Perai.

“We have no bad intentions in pointing this out, just that we do not know of any other figures except that 3,071 units were approved, not 16,297 as declared by Umno’s state liaison committee chairman Zainal Abidin Osman.

“We are seeking clarification from Zainal Abidin, if there is a plan to build that number of units, please expedite and submit the building plans,” he said at a press conference today.

“We, in fact, welcome such affordable housing under PR1MA in Penang, because there has been too much delay,” he added.

“We are one of the only states where not even one unit of PR1MA units have been built since the introduction of the housing scheme in 2012."

Jagdeep was responding to Zainal Abidin, who was quoted in Utusan Malaysia as saying that 16,297 units of PR1MA housing have been approved by state authorities.

The projects will be built in Bukit Gelugor (905 unit apartments), Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau (6,796), Teluk Kumbar (3,944), Mukim 4 Permatang Pauh (1,071), Batu Ferringhi (1,248), and Tasek Gelugor, Seberang Perai North (2,387 terrace houses), said the Penang-Federal Action Committee chairperson.

Affordable housing units cost between RM42,000 to RM300,000.

Accompanying Jagdeep at the press conference in Komtar were Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon and Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi.

Ooi pointed out that the state’s record showed that 13,226 units are missing from Zainal Abidin’s announcement.

“This means that his announcement falls short by 81.1 percent of the real number of units, which have been approved by the local councils,” Ooi said.

Meanwhile, Jagdeep reiterated that the previous BN government had built a meagre sum of only 5,154 units of affordable housing during the period of between 1999 to 2007, compared to Pakatan Harapan’s 21,535 units from 2008 to Sept 2017, which is about four times more.

He also reminded Umno that in April 2013, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had promised that 9,999 units of affordable housing in Air Puteh (under Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s constituency) will be built.