Federal govt urged to build more PPR units in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: The federal government should build more People's Housing Project (PPR) in the state as Penang recorded the lowest amount of PPR units in the country.
State Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said land has been identified for the purpose of building PPR units by the state government where 5,000 units can be built by the federal government.
"We urge the federal government to build more for the benefit of the lower income group in Penang," he said during a press conference at Taman Mutiara Vista in Jalan Jelutong yesterday.
Jagdeep said the state government is always concerned about the housing needs of Penangites, especially the lower income group as many of them cannot afford to buy the low-income housing at RM 42,000,
He said the existence of PPR in Malaysia is to address the problems faced by the low-income group.
"I must emphasize here that PPR is a programme solely under the jurisdiction of the federal government and state governments are responsible in carrying out the projects," he said adding that
Penang has been neglected by the federal government where Penang has only 999 PPR units.
He also revealed that Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar in a meeting with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and him, had asked the state if there land
has been identified for the purpose of PPR.
"As such acting from the meeting, we have identified several areas in Jelutong for the purpose of building PPR housing", he said, adding however that a KPKT letter on Oct 6 to the state
government cancelled the scheduled technical visit to the identified site.
He said he had instructed Penang Housing Department to write a letter asking for an explanation from KPKT on why the visit was cancelled.