‘Penang has lowest number of PPR flats’

> Federal govt should build more low-cost homes in the state: Jagdeep

GEORGE TOWN: The federal government should build more People’s Housing Project (PPR) in the state since Penang has the lowest number of PPR units in the country.

State Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state government had identified land on which the federal government could build 5,000 PPR units.

“We urge the federal government to build more such units for the benefit of the lowincome group in Penang,” he said during a media 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 could not afford to buy lowincome homes costing RM42,000 each.

He said PPR’s existence is to address the housing needs of the low-income group.

“I must stress that PPR is a programme solely under the jurisdiction of the federal government while state governments are responsible for carrying out the projects,” he said, adding that Penang has only 999 PPR units.

He said Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar, in a meeting with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and him, had asked the state whether land had been identified for PPR projects.

“We have identified several areas in Jelutong for the purpose.

“However, the ministry has cancelled a scheduled technical visit to the identified sites via a letter dated Oct 6.”

Jagdeep said he had instructed the Penang Housing Department to write a letter to the ministry asking for the reason behind the cancellation.