Story by Chan Lilian
CHIEF Minister Lim Guan Eng has turned down a request by Penang Federal Action Council chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, who is in charge of federal government projects in Penang, to see him regarding housing issues.
Instead, Lim said: “I suggest Zainal to see our state exco member in charge of Housing and Town & Country Planning, Jagdeep Singh Deo. He should respect the people’s mandate that we are a government elected by the people. Zainal should also accept the fact that he had lost in the election.”
Zainal had been reported by the media that he wished to see the Chief Minister to discuss the approval of housing projects which he (Zainal) claimed had been forestalled deliberately.
Lim shot back that this is not true as a list given to him showed that 15 federal housing projects will make a profit of RM149 million.
“We do not understand how the federal projects can build houses costing up to RM1.8 million. These are on land acquired for public housing use. Instead, commercial lots costing millions are to be built. I suggest Zainal see Jagdeep first.”
On Oct 23, Lim had written to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin about this matter where he pointed out to the DPM that out of 15 projects by PERDA and JKP (both federal agencies), 11 are to be built on acquired land for low and medium cost homes costing RM42,000 and RM72,500 only and not to be changed to luxury homes.