Najib: Federal govt will build 9,999 houses in Penang

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last night announced that the federal government will build 9,999 low-medium cost and affordable houses in three areas to ensure the people of Penang had better living standards.

He said the federal government through 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) had signed an agreement to purchase land to build 2,222 low-medium cost houses and 1,111 affordable houses in Air Putih, Air Itam and Paya Terubong, complete with various recreational facilities.

"During my visit to Penang recently, I agreed to provide 20,000 units of affordable houses for the people in the state. Now we are going to build about 10,000 units of affordable houses at strategic locations in Penang," he said when speaking to about 50,000 Penang residents at a 'Prime Minister with the People' session at the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) field, here tonight.

Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, Teng Chang Yeow.

He said those living in 962 one room houses in Kampung Melayu will be provided three room affordable houses in Air Itam.

Najib said in Padang Tembak, land belonging to the FRU would be developed together with flats at the current Padang Tembak location to build 4,800 medium cost houses to ensure better living standards.

"Those living in 300sq ft units will be offered 700sq ft units while those living in 400sq ft units will receive 800sq ft units. This is BN's commitment through 1MDB for the people of Penang," he said.

The Prime Minister said people cannot afford to buy houses in Penang because most of the houses currently being build were in the region of RM700,000 or above.

Unfortunately, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) are saying that the 1MDB would be closed if they (PR) came into power.

"That is why in the BN Akujanji...we (BN) have promised to build one million houses throughout the country in the next five years while the PR had pledged to build on 150,000. That too we do not know how many they can build," he said.

Najib said if the people of Penang wanted transformation, they should support BN because the party was capable of changing the landscape of Penang through development.

"Give BN the mandate because we have capable leaders to bring about changes to safeguard the welfare of the people. We are not making empty promises unlike the PR. When we promise we fulfill," he said.