State excecutive councillor for Housing and Town & Country Planning Jagdeep Singh Deo has lashed out to irresponsible tenants of low cost (LC), low-medium cost (LMC) and affordable housing housing renting out their units when it is a clear breach of tenancy agreement.

The Selection Process Enhancement Committee (SPEC) chaired by Jagdeep vets through and selects only eligible Penangites who are deserving and in need of such housing.

“We want to realize the dreams of many of families of having roofs over their heads, it is unfair for those in need, some with extended families waiting in line for houses while some irresponsible parties are using these units for profit,” he said.

“It has come to my knowledge that there are those who have been allocated such LC and LMC units, both during the selection process by SPEC and even before it by the Housing Department, who are advertising to rent the same out, which is in breach of the condition expressly set out in the Form PN1,” Jagdeep added.

A clause in Form 1 clearly states:

I also agree that my family and I will occupy the unit allocated.If it is discovered that my family and I does not occupy the said unit allocated without any reasonable explanation or is rented/ occupied by others, the Housing Department of the State Secretary Office has the right to revoke the offer and repossess the unit that has been allocated without payment of any compensation.

Jagdeep has sought the council of the Housing Department’s Legal Adviser to subject the irresponsible landlords a criminal charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating witnessed by, amongst others, EXCO members, Members of Parliament, State assemblymen, Justices of Peace, Advocates & Solicitors and the Penghulu.

Jagdeep has consulted the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) Penang Chapter who have agreed to assist the state government by instructing their agents not to advertise to rent LC and LMC units certified by the Penang housing department and extended to affordable housing projects once completed.

The state government together with Penang Development Corporation (PDC) has in the pipeline 12 projects which will deliver 22,545 units of low cost (850 units) low medium cost (7,874 units) and affordable housing (13,851 units).

The private sector through public-private partnership is set to match or exceed this number in terms of provision of low cost, low medium cost and affordable housing units.

Since the inception of SPEC in August 2013, a total of 7,291 applicants have been selected to be designated low cost, low medium cost and affordable housing.

The Penang Housing Department has a waiting list of 25,065 applicants and 24,283 applicants for low cost and low medium cost units respectively.

“The Penang State Government together with PDC and the private sector are vigorously pursuing such low, low medium cost and affordable housing projects which must ultimately reach the intended target group, namely the needy and deserving applicant.”

Source: Buletin Mutiara