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PAS Fails to Deliver on Affordable Housing in Kedah

 

Gerakan have become the latest group to take a pot shot at the poor track record of PAS in Kedah.

In the interest of fairness it would be safe to say that they have their reasons to highlight PAS failings, but even an impartial observer would be hard pushed to find some positive news from the state.

Kedah Gerakan Youth Chief Tan Keng Liang said that the latest instance of broken promises is the low-cost and affordable housing project in Bandar Sejahtera Pokok Sena.

Over two years ago, PAS pledged to voters that it would create a number of homes that the lowest earners could afford.

"When launching the RM230 million project, the Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak, stated that 128 units of double-storey terrace houses costing about RM 140,000 each had all been booked."

"But after two-and-a-half years, not even one unit has been built there except the model houses," he told reporters on Wednesday.

Tan cited the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act 1966, which states that by law, houses should be built and completed within two years of signing the sale and purchase agreement.

The Bandar Sejahtera Pokok Sena project was first agreed to on Jan 14, 2010 in a project to be delivered by Seri Temin Development (M) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary company of the Kedah State Development Corporation.

And so the problems in the state continue to rack up.

Just this week it was revealed that Kedah had received the third highest allocation of welfare aid in the country.

The Federal Government provided over RM114 million to nearly 40,000 of the poorest people in the state.

Elsewhere, one of the most oft cited grievances from Kedah residents is the inability by the State Government there to provide such basics as clean water.

Given the mounting problems facing him, it is no wonder that the Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak recently stated his desire to be replaced – on the eve of GE13.