Najib: Retain current gov't to continue housing agenda

GE14 | The people must retain the current government to ensure that the housing agenda remains a priority and continued in the long term, said caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

He said the housing agenda was a priority in the BN's manifesto for the 14th general election, including increasing the number of people’s housing projects (PPR) so that everyone in the country owned their own homes.

“We have to make plans not just for one, two years. We must have long-term plans because if we want the nation to be one of the top countries in the world, BN must achieve its objectives... because the signs are there, the plans have been made, we are implementing them.

“God willing, we will reach the finishing line, on condition BN is chosen. That is why we said in the manifesto, we are building houses today for all, the grandchildren will inherit a valuable asset,” he said in his speech at a meet-the-people gathering and the launch of the Suka Menanti PPR in Alor Setar today.

Also present were caretaker Kedah menteri besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, caretaker education minister Mahdzir Khalid and secretary-general of the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government  Mohammad Mentek. 

Najib said BN had a good track record and kept every promise it made, including building homes for the benefit of the people in the country.

He said to date, 125 PPR projects involving 85,198 units of homes worth RM6.18 billion had been built while 46 more projects worth RM3.26 billion were in the process of being built.

“These are the projects so far. If the BN wins, we can add more. We can increase (housing) for Kedah, no problem. There is no need for other people, I can help Kedah... God willing,” he said.

On Suka Menanti PPR, Najib said each buyer need only pay RM35,000 of the original price of RM217,000.

"It is difficult to beat this PPR because the cost of each Suka Menanti PPR unit is RM217,000 and the selling price is RM35,000. This means that for every unit, the government is giving a subsidy of RM182,000. Meaning that every person who owns these homes have in their hands a home worth RM217,000.

“Who says the government does not give subsidies, the government is not good, the government is bankrupt? How can a bankrupt country carry out this project,” he said.

Najib said it was different with the opposition, they were only good at making promises and did not fulfill every promise they made.

“We have seen their track record. We do not make empty promises, they do. Today, they say one thing, tomorrow they say something else. Like the BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid), today they (the opposition) say it is dedak (animal feed), (but) in their manifesto they included the BR1M. We do not play around with the manifesto, this June we are giving RM800 and in August another RM800," he said.

Najib also wanted Kedah BN to win the Alor Setar parliamentary seat and the state seats of Suka Menanti, Kota Darul Aman and Alor Mengkudu in GE14.

"I am disappointed we only won one seat, it is a one-three score. In football terms, it is only one goal with us. If you want to ask for things, you have to win 4-0... on condition Alor Setar goes blue with BN,” he said.

Earlier, Najib approved a RM20-million allocation to upgrade the hawkers and petty traders business locations in Alor Setar within the next five years if BN wins in GE14.

Construction work on the RM108-million Suka Menanti PPR is set to begin by the middle of this year.

- Bernama