Ofor Millions of B40 Urbanites, Getting an Affordable House Is Quite
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INSIDE TELLING IT AS IT IS The wedge between page Covid fears for page two titans 2 expectant mum 5 HANDS-ON ... Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and Tengku Panglima Muda Tengku Ahmad Ismail Mu’adzam Shah help to prepare meals for flood victims during their visit to the Sri Damai relief centre in Kuantan, Pahang yesterday. With them Story on is Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail. – BERNAMAPIX — page 4 ON THURSDAY JANUARY 7, 2021 No. 7696 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my Too few homes for poor █ BY SHIVANI SUPRAMANI Analyst Jason Loh Seong Wei described the [email protected] situation as “dire”, particularly in the Klang oFor millions of B40 urbanites, getting an Valley, despite the high concentration of ETALING JAYA: For the urban poor, cheaper People’s Housing Project flats, either acquiring an affordable home is next to affordable house is quite impossible rented out or sold under a “rent-to-own” impossible, even if they have the concept. money. The demand has gone through Loh, who heads the social, law and human Pthe roof, so to speak. and below is categorised as “affordable”. An urbanites, that is all they can afford. rights unit at think-tank Emir Available data shows that for every 93 analysis, based on available data, shows that in Urban poverty remains a big issue in Research, said the country cannot persons among the urban poor who can scrape urban centres, only about 40,000 homes fall into Malaysia. Data from the Department of rely entirely on the private sector Turn to enough money together to buy a house, there is that category. Statistics Malaysia shows that as of the end of to build affordable homes. — only one such house available to them. On the other hand, again based on available 2019, a total of 405,441 households were still The general consensus among page 5 In Malaysia, a house priced at RM200,000 statistics, for more than 3.75 million Malaysian living below the poverty line. property developers is that 2 theSUN ON THURSDAY | JANUARY 7, 2021 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Penang in talks The wedge between two titans with contractor █ BY RAJVINDER SINGH ahead of GE15. over PTMP [email protected] oUmno grassroots leaders feel they can do In meetings held nationwide, 189 out of 191 Umno divisions brought GEORGE TOWN: Penang is in PETALING JAYA: The unhappiness better independently without pandering to up the motion. discussion with concession company of Umno grassroots leaders with Prof Dr Barjoyai Bardai of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Bersatu, say analysts Universiti Tun Abdul Razak said Bhd (CZC) to sign a sub-agreement (Bersatu) is the main reason for the Umno grassroots leaders feel Umno for Package 2 of the Penang Transport growing rift between the two parties. can lead Barisan Nasional to form a Master Plan (PTMP). Political analysts are of the view whatever it wanted or needed. “This is not the right time for a new government if snap polls are Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow that a call by 189 Umno division Jeniri said he was of the view that snap election due to the Covid-19 called. said the sub-agreement would leaders to cut ties with Bersatu now is not the time to hold a general pandemic but there are Umno He pointed out that because of contain several matters, including the has left the Umno supreme council election, especially with the Covid- leaders who still want to go ahead the slim parliamentary majority, construction, design and land swap with very little room to manoeuvre. 19 pandemic, as the high cost of with snap polls. such issues will continually crop up. details for highway construction. Prof Dr Jeniri Amir, who is senior holding an election will also have an “Even with snap polls, a clear “One major problem today is that “The state government is in fellow at the Malaysian Council of impact on the country as the winner might not emerge as the PN government lacks a proper discussion with CZC to sign a sub- Professors, said the grassroots economy was just recovering. Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan strategy on how to deal with issues agreement for Package 2, which leaders feel that their party has been Power is everything to Umno Harapan are in disarray.” that are cropping up and Umno involves the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bullied by Bersatu. leaders and they want to determine Azmi said grassroots leaders are grassroots leaders are unhappy with Expressway to Air Itam,” he told a He said they feel that instead of their own future, he added. pushing to cut ties with Bersatu this.” press conference yesterday. appointing senior ministers, an “We are now in a time of political because they feel a deep sense of Barjoyai said there is also the Chow was commenting on a news Umno leader should have been uncertainty, and Umno feels the betrayal and resentment towards possibility that the King may not report that described the Penang appointed deputy prime minister. general election will give them a the party. allow snap polls but instead declare undersea tunnel project had been “Umno grassroots leaders do not chance to come back to power, no He said although the Umno an emergency. given a new lease of life, with a want their party to play second matter how small the chance is.” leadership has a different take on its He said this is because the Kedah-based developer set to take fiddle to Bersatu. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia ties with Bersatu, they have to listen country is going through very over the project through the purchase “They are of the opinion if a snap geostrategist Prof Dr Azmi Hassan to the division leaders. difficult times and has to deal with of shares in CZC. election is called, they can do better said the decision of the grassroots Azmi added that the grassroots the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that He said the state government has than they did in the 14th general leaders has forced the hand of the leaders have made their decision if there is an emergency, everyone been informed of the equity election. party’s top leadership. and they want the party leadership loses. restructuring exercise. “Power means everything to He said they want Umno to cut to follow through. “It is important for the Chow said the sub-agreement these people, especially those in the ties with Bersatu and it is very On Sunday, Umno grassroots government to concentrate on would be signed on Jan 15 and further ‘court cluster’,” he said, adding that if difficult for the supreme council to division leaders rejected any sort fighting the pandemic and details of the agreement will be Umno was in power, it could do go against this. of cooperation with Bersatu politicking should be secondary.” announced the same day. PTMP is an initiative by the state government, costing at an estimated RM46 billion, encompassing an MIC, MCA undersea tunnel connecting the island to the mainland, highways, question BN LRT, monorail and a comprehensive bus route network on the island and sec-gen’s mainland. – Bernama removal ‘Make masks, KUALA LUMPUR: MIC has questioned the removal of Tan Sri sanitisers part of Annuar Musa as Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general without consultation with all daily wear’ component parties. MIC president Tan Sri S. A. KOTA BARU: Kelantanese have been Vigneswaran said the party was urged to make face masks and hand also not informed about Umno sanitisers part of their “daily basic secretary-general Datuk Seri wear” to curb Covid-19. Ahmad Maslan’s appointment to State executive councillor of local replace Annuar. government, housing and health Dr However, he opined that the Izani Husin said the Health removal was legitimate and that Department had done its best to keep there is nothing in the BN the disease under control and it was constitution to say that the up to the people to be vigilant in the removal cannot be done without fight against Covid-19, including consultation with the component ensuring physical distancing. parties. “My advice is to follow the SOP “The removal of Tan Sri (standard operating procedures) and Annuar Musa is legitimate, but impose a tight SOP on ourselves. The you cannot appoint anybody as a most important thing is to go out only secretary-general unless it is when necessary. In other words, the done through BN’s supreme enemy is outside. When Covid-19 is council. Sackings can (be done) already in the community, the only but (not new) appointments. It thing we can improve is the SOP, can be only done at the BN apart from our body immunity to supreme council (level),” he said fight against the virus,” he said. when contacted yesterday. He also urged the people to work It was reported that Annuar, together and comply with the SOP to who is also Federal Territories the best of their ability, adding that minister and Ketereh MP, the number of cases would drop was removed as BN secretary- NO ACCESS ... Residents in Kampung Lechar near Raub in Pahang taking a closer look at what remains of a bridge that within a month if they adhere to the general yesterday, and Ahmad collapsed after heavy rain caused the river underneath to swell and wash away its foundation. – BERNAMAPIX SOP. – Bernama Maslan was appointed to the position. BN is led by Umno, with the other component parties being MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Limit on number of mountain climbers Rakyat Sabah.