s Najib’s 20k affordable houses for real OR is Chang Yeow the undisputed local CLOWN?

Jest about the return of the free port status in exchange for a Barisan Nasional’s victory in Penang had made its chief Teng Chang Yeow an undisputed local political clown. I thought this title was permanently etched only in the minds of the people in Penang, but Najib had to butt in and go national with it as well.

I genuinely pity Najib, none of his advisors including Teng Chang Yeow had any clue on the Penang housing problem. Promising to build “not less than 20,000 units of affordable housing…in Penang, ”(1) without knowing the fact that the same very BN had earlier made a promise under the four Malaysia Plans spanning from 1976 to 1991 to build 39,279 houses, but only managed to deliver 5,484.

And it is even more clownish as this big “Promise” comes under the “Promises Fulfilled” banner.

Malaysia Plan

		Targets	Actual Units Built
3rd Malaysian Plan	1976-1980	4,279 units	2,422 units
4th Malaysian Plan	1981-1985	21,000 units	2,654 units
5th Malaysian Plan	1986-1990	14,000 units	140 units
6th Malaysian Plan	1991- toJune 1995	No Targets	268 units
	Total	39,279 units	5,484 units

Don't let your boss talk nonsense

Najib’s advisors should not be in the dark and put their boss in an humiliating position. These highly paid advisors should just leaf through the past records of the BN government, they would immediately know that the state government had another 3-year Special Low-Cost Housing Privatisation Programme of its own to build 41,080 low-cost housing units.

This Programme was launched in 1986 and it was to be completed in 1989. And in it, there were about 40,635 eligible applicants registered with the State Housing Department.

Furthermore, this programme was backed by a RM1.4 billion Special Low-Cost Housing Federal Fund set up by the Federal Government for the purpose of building low-cost homes in which the State Government could apply.

Apparently BN being an incompetent government as it always shown to be, it managed to build only 2,926 units(7 percent) out of the targeted 41,080, thus missing the golden opportunity to provide 41,080 Low-Cost houses for the poor. And shamefully, the 2,926 units were built over a period of 8 years and not 3 years as targeted.

Lost opportunity to help the poor

Now, the BN clowns have gone on a breast-beating show around Penang but they cannot hide the fact that they have lost the only one in a lifetime opportunity to help the poor.

The BN government should have fulfilled the targeted 41,080 Low-Cost House for the poor 14 years ago without much difficulties when the cost of land, labour, and material was low.

And furthermore, the majority of the poor in Penang at that time could definitely scrap through owning a RM 25,000 house. But owning a RM 300,000 house is way beyond reach of the poor.

Najib, do have some humility for the poor, the RM300,000 house is not for them. Tell me Najib, when the poor can afford to buy a RM 25,000 house 14 years ago, your BN government screwed up big time in fulfilling this pledge and only built 2,926 units.

Now if we give the same opportunity of low labour, land and material cost to Lim Guan Eng – he would definitely solve the housing problem hands down.

MAILBAG