Wednesday July 21, 2010Penang may ban low-cost homes
By IAN MCINTYRE ianm@thestar.com.my
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Housing Department is mulling over a move to ban the construction of low-cost units with a built-up area of less than 700 sq ft, said committee member Sim Tze Tzin.
He said this was because the flats eventually became slums due to poor infrastructure and crammed living conditions.
“I feel that low-cost units should not be built on Penang island to prevent these places from becoming ‘unliveable’ areas,” he said here yesterday.
Sim, who is Pantai Jerejak assemblyman, was commenting on development issues on the island arising from mounting problems of squatters and shortage of land.
Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi had recently said residents at eight urbanised villages were facing eviction due to rapid development in his constituency.
He had labelled them the “eight big headaches” of the state government, adding that they were “long-drawn affairs” that began during Barisan’s rule.
Sim said there was a need for the state government and developers to think “out of the box” when it came to meeting housing needs and commercial demand.
He added that there were about 1,000 people who were technically defined as squatters in Penang.
Sim proposed that monetary compensation given by developers to squatters should be replaced with offers of housing for them near the site of their original homes.
“For example, if the squatters are accorded RM40,000 compensation, the money can be used as down payment to the developer for them to purchase the new units near their original homes.
“This would generate a chain reaction for a better quality of life on the island,” he said.
Sim urged the state government not to approve applications to build triple-storey bungalows which are sold at RM1mil and above as it was a wastage of land.
He also hoped that the relocation of squatters was not politicised.
“All political parties need to work towards resolving the problem,” he said, urging the Federal Government to allocate money for Penang to establish a housing fund to help address the issue of squatters.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/21/nation/6694234&sec=nation
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