Affordable homes, monorail for Penangites

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today promised to present 20,000 units of affordable homes and a monorail service to the people of Penang if Barisan Nasional wins the state in the next general election.

He said this to more than 20,000 people gathered at the launch of the "Promises Fulfilled Tour" programme at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) that 10,000 units of the houses would be built soon under the 1Malaysia People's Housing Programme (PR1MA).

The other 10,000 units would be built by government agencies, including JKP Sdn Bhd, the Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) and Syarikat Perumahan Nasional Berhad (SPNB), said Najib, who was on a day-long working visit to the state administered by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

"These houses will be sold at below market prices to the people of Penang. For example, if the market price of a house is RM500,000, we will sell it for only RM300,000," he said at the event, also attended by Cabinet ministers Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

Najib said the DAP-led state government had failed to resolve the housing woes of the people in the state and had not built affordable homes and low-cost houses.

Citing the Kampung Buah Pala issue as an example, the prime minister said the opposition leaders had promised to settle the matter in two weeks but failed to do so and the BN government had to step in to resolve it.

Najib said applications for houses under PR1MA, which opened today, could be made online and the drawing of lots for the houses would be transparent.

He also said that a monorail service was badly needed to overcome the increasingly serious traffic congestion on the island.

"We know that the people of Penang are plagued by traffic congestion. If the BN wins the state (in the general election), we will build a monorail system, similar to the LRT service in Kuala Lumpur," he said.

The people of Penang were entitled to a better public transportation system, he said, adding that this would become a reality if they gave the mandate to the BN.

The prime minister gave the assurance that the BN would not let the Malays in the state to be marginalised and, at the same time, it would continue to ensure the well-being of the Chinese and Indians.

He said every vote for the BN was a vote for stability and progress, but a vote for PAS was a vote for disunity, a vote for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was a vote for the personal struggle of an individual and a vote for the DAP was a vote for an uncertain future.

Najib said the "Promises Fulfilled" label of the BN illustrated the fact that the coalition could be trusted for keeping to its word.

"When we make a promise, we regard that as a bond. With that bond, the people can place their trust in us. The Barisan Nasional government fulfills its promises, whatever they may be," he said.