KUALA LUMPUR: The lack of state government’s cooperation has been cited as being the main reason behind the inability of the federal government to meet its commitment in delivering 1.5 million house units by next year.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar told the Dewan Rakyat today that the opposition needed to understand the process behind the building of houses.
He said this when responding to a question from Khalid Samad (PAN-Shah Alam).
"The commitment to deliver the houses had to be supported by the state governments too. For example in Selangor, we wanted to construct 51,992 units but could only deliver 11,000 because cooperation from the state government is lacking.
"When we announced that we are going to build affordable homes, the rules are in place, we have to get approval from state governments and their cooperation is important,” Noh.
He adds that the Shah Alam MP should know that the power to give approval for planning in the state lies with the state government.
“In fact these state governments should give us special approval to construct these affordable homes," Noh said.
He adds that it was the federal government who were paying for the projects, amounting to RM2.2 billion.
Khalid had earlier asked on the federal government's plan in ensuring the promise of affordable housing could be fulfilled.
According to Noh, so far houses that had been built under the programme were 255,341 units, or 23 per cent have been completed, 717, 512 or 64 per cent are still under construction and work had yet to start on the balance of 138, 335 or 12 per cent.
"Some states give us no problem. For example Kelantan works with us really well, perhaps because they do not prioritise politics so much.
"But Selangor, on the other hand, gives us land at a premium, the same it would give a private company. So we were forced to make these houses under Rumah Selangorku and are forced to raise the prices of these homes.
"This is what the YB has to understand about the powers of the Federal Government and state government," he added.