Teng furnishes proof 16-storey block of flats planned for site

NIBONG TEBAL: Penang Barisan Nasional has claimed that it has evidence to prove that the previous state administration had made provision for public housing on the 0.4ha land in Taman Manggis, George Town.

State Barisan chief Teng Chang Yeow showed the media a copy of a 2003 internal memo which was said to have been written by the then director of Housing and Local Government of the State Secretary’s office to the then State Secretary.

He said the memo stated that two blocks of affordable housing units had been originally planned to be built on a 1.97ha (4.93 acre) plot of land at the junction of Jalan Zainal Abidin-Lorong Selamat.

“However, based on a standardised plan that was similarly adopted by the Federal Government, only one 18-storey block of flats could be built then, while the remaining plot of land was to be kept for future development.

“And, according to the architect concerned, a 16-storey additional block could be built on the remaining piece of land,” he told reporters at former Bukit Tambun assemblyman Lai Chew Hock’s office in Lorong Bukit Tambun, Simpang Ampat, here yesterday.

Teng said the Housing Committee in the state executive council back then had further discussed the matter on April 29, 2003 and June 24, 2003, where it agreed that a block of flats under the People’s Housing Project (PPR) with rental should ideally be developed there.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng claimed that the previous state administration had not made any provision for public housing to be built on the 0.4ha plot of land in Taman Manggis.

Lim had refuted as “completely untrue” an earlier statement by Teng that the original plans under Barisan Nasional’s administration were for a community housing project on the prime land.

Teng said he also ran an online search with the Penang Municipal Council’s One-Stop Centre and found that the council had received a planning permission application for the construction of a 30-storey building on Lots 305, 306, 313 and 314 at the site.

“So, my original statement is true and I stand by it.

“But, my question back to the state government (now) is whether it is prepared to scrap the 30-storey building and build affordable houses there instead?”

He said the Chief Minister had been quoted in newspaper reports as saying that the particular piece of land had been identified for the construction of a private hospital with 150 car parking lots.

Teng said Lim should make it clear whether the proposed 30-storey building was for the private hospital that he had mentioned.

“There is a proposal submitted for planning permission and they (seem to) claim ignorance. That is why I (had) said don’t twist the facts. If the MPPP president has failed in her duties to inform the state and has probably caused the state to mislead people, she should then be demoted,” he said.

Teng queried that if the particular piece of land could accommodate the proposed 30-storey building, then how could it not be suitable for a 16-storey block of affordable homes? - The Star