PENANGITES can have something to cheer about this New Year after Putrajaya has approved 45 housing maintenance projects at a cost of RM17.89 million.
State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo was delighted to receive the good news from Housing and Local Government Ministry.
He said the ‘gift’ from them was a blessing as it showed that efforts by the state government in pursuing the Federal Government all this while was fruitful.
“Our application dated July 31 last year under the Housing Maintenance Programme (PPP) and Federal Malaysia Home Maintenance Fund (TPPM) for RM28 million and RM72 million respectively that has been in part to date approved.
“The state applied for 123 projects under TPPM amounting to RM72 million and for 14 projects under PPP amounting to RM28 million.
“Out of all these projects applied, the Federal Government has approved applications for 29 private housings under TPPM and 10 public housings under PPP amounting to RM5.8 million and RM9.5 million respectively, bringing to a total of about RM16 million.
“Significantly, another round of positive news comes in the form of RM2.497 million and RM133,500 allocation given for lifts replacement and repair works for five on island and one on the mainland respectively.
“This shows the strong commitment from the federal level towards the state,” he told a press conference in Komtar today.
Jagdeep added the last time Penang received funding assistance from the Federal Government was way back in 2015.
“It is definitely a great news and I’m glad to announce it on my first press conference for this year,” he said.
Present were state Housing Department senior principal assistant secretary Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi and representatives from local councils.
Story and pix by Edmund Lee