‘Cost’ the cause of snag

THE Penang Federal Action Council is preparing a reply to the state government on the cost of each affordable housing unit to be built in the state.

Its chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said that after eight months, the council had received a letter from the State Planning Committee (SPC) that while all the requirements had been fulfilled, the cost of each unit was not quoted.

“The SPC has written that it would need the cost of each unit to consider the projects for approval.

“We did not quote the price earlier because there could be a difference in the cost at the time of application and when the SPC gives the approval.

“Nevertheless, we will comply with SPC’s request,” he said after receiving a mock cheque for more than RM7mil for 13 projects under the 1Malaysia Maintenance Fund (TP1M) from the Urban, Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry’s Urban Services secretary Razwan Abidin during a visit to the Saujana Heights Apartments in Bayan Lepas yesterday.

Under the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Scheme (PRIMA), the Federal Government has approved 9,500 affordable units to be built in Penang this year, out of the 32,369 units to be built in the state over the next four years.

On the TP1M, Zainal said the Federal Government had allocated a total of RM40mil under the fund and that Penang was to receive RM7.2mil for 13 projects this year.

“We are aware that there are 114 applications, but we do not have enough funds to allocate for all as the funds are limited,” said Zainal.

A total of 25 contractors who were appointed to undertake the projects under TP1M, received their letters from Zainal at the event.

The Saujana Heights Apartments received a total of RM1.7mil for maintenance of its low-cost and low medium-cost units.

Painting works and repair of the roof on the two blocks of the apartment were carried out yesterday.

Earlier, state Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo had said that the lack of information on unit prices and land acquisition matters had caused the delay in approving the affordable housing projects.

“There are 6,546 medium-cost units listed within the approved units of affordable housing.

“This is a problem as no price was stated for the medium-cost units. These units could fetch up to RM600,000, which is above the low medium-cost or affordable housing limit,” he said.

He said the clarification was vital, including how the land for the projects was acquired.

“If the land was acquired for public purposes, only low-cost, low medium-cost and affordable housing units can be built on it,” Jagdeep told a press conference on Tuesday.

Zainal had recently claimed that the projects were in limbo because of the SPC’s indecision. - The Star