Residents of Kg Chetty in Batu Ferringhi, Penang, have been given a flat each to make way for a housing project.
The developer of the 30-acre village has agreed to allocate each of the 350 householders a low medium-cost (LMC) unit according to the state government’s “one-to-one” housing policy.
State Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh said all the householders in Kg Chetty had agreed to the deal and had submitted applications for the LMC units.
According to Jagdeep, applications would be rejected if applicants were found to own houses elsewhere but Kg Chetty residents would be given exemption on appeal.
“Under standard operating procedures, applications for LMC units will be rejected if applicants owned houses.
“But (in this case) they will be given approval on appeal as it is a compensation issue and not eligibility,” Jagdeep said after attending a fire-walking ceremony at the Arulmigu Sree Bathrakaliamman Temple in Persiaran Sg Batu, Batu Ferringhi on Saturday.
On the “one-to-one” policy, Jagdeep said developers of state land were to compensate displaced residents with a low-cost unit each at the minimum.
“We are encouraging developers of private land to do likewise.
“Kg Chetty residents are being compensated with LMC units.
“If they don’t want the LMC units, they will be given RM72,500, the cash equivalent of an LMC unit, by the developer. Kg Chetty residents should be happy,” Jagdeep said.
He said the state government would draw up the guidelines on the “one-to-one” housing policy, which would be the yardstick for relocating residents.
The developer of Kg Chetty plans to build 500 LMC units, semi-detached houses, condominiums and hotel on the plot of land.
On the relocation of Arulmigu Sree Bathrakaliamman Temple, Jagdeep said a suitable plot in Batu Ferringhi had been identified.
“We are in the process of obtaining the necessary approval for the new site where the temple would have a bigger and permanent place after the relocation,” he said.
Also present at the temple’s fire-walking ceremony was Bukit Bendera MP Kairil Khir Johari. - by R. Sekaran (The Star)
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