Air Itam residents relieved Najib announced housing project

GEORGE TOWN, May 2 – The announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on an affordable housing project in Air Itam here brought much relief to thousands of residents in the area.

This is because it is difficult to find affordable houses following the development of luxury residence around the area.

Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Bukit Bendera parliamentary seat, Teh Leong Meng said more than 50,000 people who flooded the gathering with the Prime Minister at the compound of the Federal Reserve Unit camp in Jalan Padang Tembak two days ago, cheered as soon as Najib announced the federal government was going to develop the area by building an affordable housing project.

“The government’s effort to upgrade the structure and plan for the flats also proved the prime Minister’s sincerity to provide a comfortable home for the people. This is in view of the difficulty to own houses due to the price of houses here spiralling out of reach of the lower income group,” he said.

The Prime Minister, in his visit to the area, announced 9,999 low-medium cost houses and affordable houses in three areas in the state to give Penang residents better living standards.

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.”

Let’s get ready for Vist Malaysia Year 2014 now, says Ng

Setting the tone: Dr Ng taking part in the 1M4U dance with the public during the mini carnival at the Queensbay Mall outdoor car park in George Town.

 

GEORGE TOWN: Although 2014 may be a year away, the Tourism Ministry is wasting no time in making early preparations to woo the targeted 28 million tourists.

Besides a grand tourism carnival to create awareness in the public and private sectors, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said her ministry would also reintroduce the salam gesture to welcome visitors to the country.

“It’s symbolic and let’s try to make it a natural habit for everyone,” she said.

The gesture requires one to put his right hand over the left collarbone as a courtesy greeting.

Dr Ng said people should understand that Visit Malaysia Year 2014 was good for the economy as it would generate income for the nation.

“It (tourism) is our third largest foreign exchange earner and generates 1.8 million jobs.

Huge crowd jostles for RM200 voucher forms

Unexpected turnout: A crowd gathering at the lobby of the Federal Building in Anson Road, George Town, to get the forms to apply for the RM200 vouchers.

 

GEORGE TOWN: A large crowd jostled for forms to apply for the RM200 one-off vouchers under 1Malaysia People’s Welfare Prog­ramme (Kar1sma) at the Federal Building in Anson Road here since 8am.

Security guards and officers had to use hailers to urge the public to queue up after noticing much shoving and pushing.

More than 100 motorbikes and cars were parked along the road, causing a 2km-long traffic jam.

State Women, Family and Community Development Depart­ment director Yusman Hambali Ahmad said they ran out of forms at about 2pm.

“We made extra copies of the forms and managed to distribute some 4,000 copies. But the photocopy machines broke down,” he said.

He said the forms would only be distributed for a day and it must be returned to the department by 11am today.
“We did not expect the huge crowd,” he said.