In GE13 blitz, Najib pledges 1m affordable homes nationwide for mandate

Najib (centre) introduces BN’s Penang candidates to attendees, during an election rally in George Town April 30, 2013.

GEORGE TOWN, May 1 ― Seizing on rising discontent over high property prices amid low wages among city folks, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has promised to build one million affordable houses across the country in the next five years in return for the urban vote.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman’s coalition wants to win the May 5 general election with a convincing two-thirds parliamentary majority that was lost in Election 2008 when urban voters switched to the parties that now make up Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Under gloomy skies, the caretaker prime minister focussed on affordable housing in a whistle-stop tour of Penang while introducing BN candidates to crowds largely made up of supporters and party workers yesterday.


“We promise one million affordable houses. But they promise, not one million, not 500,000 but just 150,000,” Najib said as he compared both coalition’s manifestos to a large crowd at the Penang riot police base in the Rifle Range residential area.

The working-class neighbourhood is the largest low-cost housing scheme in the island state, with nine 17- and 18-storey concrete blocks built in 1969 when the then opposition Gerakan won power. Gerakan is now part of BN and party secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow is the state coalition chief.

In Penang, Najib pledged to build 9,999 affordable flats in three DAP strongholds around the Rifle Range area, which is to be redeveloped from the 3,735 units into 4,800 units when combined with the police base land. The policemen are to be moved elsewhere.

He then asked the voters to elect the BN candidates to ensure the projects take off, saying “I have trust and confidence in this BN team to bring real change to Penang.”