Penang Gerakan questions state govt's ability to build affordable housing
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Gerakan today questioned the DAP-led Penang state government on its competency and ability to really build affordable houses for people in the state.
Its publicity bureau chief, Ooi Zhi Yi said housing remained a critical issue that had not been properly addressed by the state government as there was a huge difference between the number of houses planned and the number of applicants.
"Has the state government considered the effects of the demand and supply factor of housing? Lack of 2,798 units of affordable homes (RMM) 'A' houses and over-supply of 24,773 units of RMM 'C' houses will have a major spiralling effect on the housing industry in Penang," he told a press conference here.
He said according to the written reply by the state executive councillor for housing and town and country planning, Jagdeep Singh Deo at the last state assembly sitting, the number of RMM units to be built in five years for RMM "A" (below RM42,000) was 9,803, RMM "B" (below RM72,500) (20,071 units) and RMM "C" (below RM300,000) (34,115 units).
Ooi said on the waiting list for RMM "A" were 12,601 applicants, RMM "B" (18,407) and RMM "C" (9,342).
He said the total number of RMM units built since 2008, after they took over the state government until April 2017 was 20,341 units, with RMM "A" (10,553 units) and RMM "B" (9,788 units).
"The state government is planning for a development period of five years shorter and to build double the number it has built in nine years. Is the state government being over-confident in its planning?
"How can it justify and give assurance that these targeted numbers will definitely be built and do not remain empty promises?" he said.
Ooi questioned how the state government could guarantee that the houses being planned would be built and when the projects would begin construction.
"Housing development should be done with proper analysis and planning. It should be planned by monitoring the demand and supply in the industry. Otherwise, it will have a major effect, especially on the price of houses," he said. — Bernama