'Reimburse our RM8 million first before taking over Selangor's PPR' - State exco

That was the ultimatum given by the Selangor Exco for Housing, Building Management and Urban Settlement Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad.

"This is not a new issue, even from last year this has been discussed by the Housing, Urban Well-Being and Local Government Ministry and the National Housing Council, not just relating to Selangor but nationwide.

"Sure, we can handover the management of PPRs to the federal government, but reimburse the RM8 million that we've spent first. No problem," he told reporters at an Aidilfitri do with civil servants here on Wednesday.

Iskandar said of the RM8 million, RM3 million went to fixing the lifts and water pumps of the PPRs in 2012.

Iskandar was responding to Housing, Urban Well-Being and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar's statement on Tuesday that he would request for the federal government to take over the management of 'problematic' PPRs in Selangor.

Noh had said the management of PPRs in the state had deteriorated since the Opposition took over Selangor, because they were 'too busy politicking rather than caring for the rakyat's welfare'.

Iskandar said Noh, who is also Selangor UMNO liaison committee chairman, was trying to be a 'hero' by politicising the PPR issue in the state.

"This new minister is trying to be a hero. It's regrettable because ministers shouldn't be politicking but caring for the rakyat's welfare instead.

"If Noh says the Selangor government has enough money from PPR rent, that's wrong. Rent money from PPRs is far from enough to cover the maintenance cost."

Furthermore, Iskandar said the current state government have a lot on their plate has they had to deal with many of the past Barisan Nasional's 'abandoned' projects. He said the state government has spent millions of ringgit to revive and complete 64 of such projects.

However, he said he was ready to sit and discuss with the minister in resolving the PPR issue.