It may cost people up to RM50,000 for a parking bay after purchasing an affordable housing unit in Penang.
State Gerakan Youth legal and public complaints bureau chief Jason Loo revealed that on buying a RM200,000 affordable housing unit in Persiaran Bayan Indah, the owner has to fork out another RM50,000 for a parking lot.
In sharing the unit owner’s grouse, Loo said the price of a parking lot for an affordable unit was too steep and ridiculous.
“In 2014, the state government said that every affordable home should come with a parking lot but for this development’s RM200,000 affordable unit, RM50,000 must be paid for the space.
“Developers of open projects or free market projects only charge an average of RM25,000 for a parking lot,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Loo also highlighted the price for affordable housing unit costing RM400,000 because it only has two bedrooms.
“The previous government was able to build RM72,500 low medium-cost housing with three bedrooms but why does a RM400,000 affordable home only has two bedrooms?
“In comparison, affordable housing prices these days cost 10 times more than low-cost housing during the previous government,” he said.
Loo said the state has set a guideline for affordable homes costing RM200,000 which must be at least 750sq ft, RM300,000 at 850sq ft and RM400,000 at 900sq ft.
“This particular development at 650sq ft sells at RM400,000. We want to know which category the project belongs to.”
In referring to an article published by a business weekly on Oct 22 last year, he also questioned the allowed density in which the developer was allowed to build 1,235 condominium units on a 3ha plot of land.
“This is double the density limit set by the state for affordable homes. Why is this developer enjoying this special privilege?
“Did the company pay any special contribution to the state government fund so that they are allowed so many privileges?” he asked, claiming that the developer need not have to build low-cost units or pay compensation for not building such units.
State Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo could not be reached for comments. - The Star
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