PAS’ grave request stumps BN man

BN candidate for Kota Baru criticises condition by local authotities that two burial plots be set aside before starting on a housing project.

KOTA BARU: PAS has imposed a condition that the federal government allocate two plots of land for graveyards before starting on a project to build affordable homes, claimed a BN man.

BN candidate for the Kota Baru parliament seat, Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh, said this was a first as the government was keen to provide houses for the mostly Chinese residents.

“Only in Kelantan, do we have a preference to care for the dead before we provide accommodation for the living,” said Fatmi. “It’s first and it shows that PAS is playing politics.”

The state has been a PAS stronghold since 1990 while the BN coalition has controlled the federal side since Independance in 1957.

A survey by BN revealed that there are at least 15,000 individuals among the Chinese community here, who have applied for affordable housing.

It is a pressing issue here as 80% of the Chinese residents in this constituency are in need of their own homes, Fatmi said while on his campaign rounds.

He added that as of now, most Chinese families are either leasing out homes, or staying with their immediate families.

“There is even one family with 20 of its members staying under the same roof,” said Fatmi.

Slow pace of development

The problem, he said, is largely due to the present caretaker government’s policy that strictly forbids the sale of houses to those born outside of Kelantan.

And it is more complicated because since 1990, no major housing project was conceived in the capital, while the population has grown three-fold, Fatmi said.

“It’s because of this, BN has come with with a comprehensive plan to spur growth by luring fresh investments while empowering the private sector to participate in projects.

“Whatever development that was undertaken in Kelantan since 1990, mostly involved the federal side, who are committed to develop the state.”

The private sector seems to be only interested in profit rather in social justice, Fatmi said, adding that this contributed to the slow pace of development.

Thus, his initiative to push for an affordable housing scheme.

But Fatmi said he was taken aback when his planners were slapped with a condition that two graveyard plots must be identified and set aside first before the houses can be built.

Fatmi urged PAS to drop its ego and work together with the federal government to ensure there are enough homes in the state.

“We will continue to fight on irregardless if we win this election. Of course, if we win, we can do things faster by doing away with bureaucracy to ensure the houses can be built.”

Fatmi said the construction of houses will take only two years, the first of many projects to meet the demand of the Chinese for housing, good jobs and social ammenities.

Fatmi’s opponent Takiyuddin Hassan, the PAS deputy secretary-general could not be reached for a comment on the “graveyard” claims.