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Penang not against Putrajaya’s PR1MA housing project, says Guan Eng

The Penang state government is not standing in the way of Putrajaya's 1Malaysia People’s Housing Project (PR1MA) in the state, says Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim (pic) said he had written to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, saying it was slanderous to accuse Penang of not supporting the proposed development.

Lim also told Muhyiddin that he had been misinformed.

"It is a malicious slander to make use of certain factors as an excuse to allege that the state government rejected the PR1MA projects.

"The state has been waiting for further information about the PR1MA applications and where the proposed homes will be built," he said in the letter.

Lim's comments came following a report that Penang allegedly refused to approve the development plans for people's housing projects by federal agencies.

Bernama had quoted Penang MCA secretary Dr Tan Chuan Hong as saying that the state should be more open on the matter and discuss with the federal agencies to resolve technical issues in the proposed projects, including the PR1MA developments.

Lim explained that since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's announcement of 80,000 PR1MA homes worth RM1.3 billion under Budget 2015, the state wanted to know what has happened to the proposed projects for Penang.

"We hope Tan Sri will not believe the accusations against the state government because we are always ready to extend cooperation for the good of the people," he said.

In his letter, Lim said the state has always been interested in PR1MA projects.

He also requested details on proposed PR1MA homes in Penang that would be priced above RM400,000, which exceeded the ceiling price for affordable homes on the island.

"The state is abiding by the federal government's guideline by building 22,575 affordable homes under RM400,000 each.

"After Najib said more PR1MA homes would be built under Budget 2014, state housing exco Jagdeep Singh Deo wrote to the housing minister in October 2013 to seek clarification on the locations and status of the proposed projects.

"He also met with Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia chairman, Tan Sri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis early this year, and wrote a letter in February on feedback of the three plots of vacant land for PR1MA projects in Penang," said Lim.

Lim added that the state had also stressed on the importance of settling squatter issues amicably at the sites earmarked for the developments. – October 25, 2014.