PM Najib: 5,000 homes for Seremban under PR1MA

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today announced the construction of 5,000 homes under the Perumahan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (PR1MA) initiative in Seremban, The Star Online reported today — in what is seen as a bid to drum up urban voter support in the hotly-contested Negri Sembilan that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition believe is ripe for their plucking at national polls due soon.

The news portal added that the housing units would be located in Seremban 2, Rasah and Senawang, and that priority would be given to households with an income of between RM2,500 and RM7,500.

“This is what you get when you have a state administration and a federal government which thinks for the people unlike in Selangor where we are unable to build the Langat 2 water treatment facility,” Najib was quoted as saying, drawing comparisons between his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and the rival PR pact that gained control of the country’s wealthiest state in Election 2008.

The prime minister (picture) said the units will be jointly built by PR1MA and the state government over the next two years.

The Star also reported that the houses would have a minimum size of 234 square metres (sq m) and depending on the location, would be priced between RM150,000 and RM300,000, which was 20 to 30 per cent less than that of the market price.

At the same time, Najib announced that the government would provide a RM158 million facility to allow the extension of the Kajang-Seremban Highway (Lekas) to Temiang and North Seremban.

The move is designed to benefit the 10,000 families living in the area, he reportedly said.

In its alternative Budget rolled out earlier this week, PR had pledged to tackle the issue of affordable housing by establishing a National Housing Board to undertake “massive” affordable housing projects around the country.

In terms of numbers, the 2013 alternative budget projects a deficit of 3.5 per cent against the 4.3 per cent that is widely expected by economists next year, with expenses of RM234 billion exceeding revenue of RM197 billion.

PR appears confident a five per cent vote sway in four state seats will be enough for them to take over Negri Sembilan in the 13th general elections that must be called by next April.

PR sources had previously told The Malaysian Insider they were confident of wresting the 36-seat state due to the narrow vote margins in four constituencies: Pilah, Kelawang, Lenggeng and Linggi.

The BN had narrowly won Pilah by only 1,258 votes, Kelawang (1,167), Lenggeng (1,285) and Linggi (1,575) four years ago.