Houses in Balik Pulau are expensive, says Umno chief

THE state government has done nothing to improve the living conditions in Balik Pulau, claimed Balik Pulau Umno division chief Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya.

Dr Hilmi alleged that since Pakatan Rakyat took over in 2008, they have not built any low medium-cost houses in Balik Pulau for the people.

“They are lumping all the low medium-cost houses in Batu Kawan instead,” he claimed.

He said that he had been told by some people who wished to buy houses in Balik Pulau that the prices were too expensive.

“They told me that even if they save up in their whole life, they still could not afford to buy a house in Balik Pulau,” he said, adding that the price of a new house in Balik Pulau was about RM700,000.

“They have instead bought houses in Sungai Petani or Kulim and are travelling daily to the island for work,” he claimed.

He said that he was not sure if it was done purposely by the state government.

“The point is, it has happened, and the state government has done nothing to control the prices,” he said after launching the Karnvial Coop Best 2012 Parlimen Balik Pulau at the District Mosque recently.

Malaysia Co-operatives Commission Penang director Gerald Prem Kumar Geoffrey said that co-operatives were an excellent way of reaching out to the people.

“To form a company is a very difficult process. However, forming a co-operative is much easier,” he said, adding that co-operatives had been recognised as a global movement.

He added that the United Nations had also declared this year as the International Year of Co-operatives. - The Star