RESIDENTS of Villa Mas Ewani low-cost apartment in Jelutong have something to cheer about just before Hari Raya Adilfitri when their application for financial assistance to the state government for a new water tank costing RM67,800 was approved.
Penang Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said under the Penang Maximum 80 percent Maintenance Fund (TPM80PP), the state government would bear 80% of the cost while the apartment dwellers would have to bear the other 20%.
“This is a small Raya gift for them. This is also the first project post Covid-19 that I am coming to. But there will be many more,” Jagdeep told a press conference at the apartment’s management office today.
“It’s very important to get the housing maintenance projects going. We’re going to have a new mindset. We want to assist by expediting all the projects to revive the economy.”
He said under the TPM80PP, the state government has so far spent RM35.3 million for approving a total of 240 applications involving 393 projects.
He added that 87 applications are still being processed and they are expected to cost the government an additional RM16.2 million.
“As I have said before, we will reprioritise and restrategise. We will give priority to these applications. When contractors get selected, their workers have work to do and this will help the economy.”
Jagdeep said the state government has spent over RM250 million from various housing funds, including the RM35 million for TPM80PP, for maintenance projects at public and private housing schemes in the state until May this year.
Villa Mas Ewani management committee chairman Marnilai Masriah Abdullah thanked Jagdeep, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim and the state government for the financial aid.
“We’ve been paying an additional RM1,000 for the water bill because the water tank has been leaking for some time. The water tank has been installed 18 years ago,” Marnilai Masriah said after receiving the state’s approval letter from Jagdeep.
Lim, who complimented the Villa Mas Ewani management committee for their commitment, chipped in RM5,000 for the maintenance project from her constituency fund.
Villa Mas Ewani management committee treasurer Chuah Choon Huat also expressed his thanks to the state government, adding that they were also given financial assistance when they replaced two lifts at the apartment last year.
Also present were Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim, Penang Island City Council councillor Nicholas Theng, state Housing Department senior secretary Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi, senior assistant secretary Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yusoff, management committee secretary Oo Seng Guan and contractor Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan