KEPALA BATAS, Nov 2 — The federal government has never discriminated against development in states or constituencies led by the opposition in the country, all for the sake of the people, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
He said this includes Penang, which has never been sidelined by the federal government even though the state is under the opposition’s rule.
“If the federal government can be this sincere, it is only right for the people to continue giving their mandate to the federal government come this Nov 19,” he said when officiating the ground-breaking ceremony for the People’s Housing Programme (PPR), Bandar Putra Bertam Mosque and the Kepala Batas Youth Centre (KBYC) projects here today.
Ismail Sabri said the launch of the three projects in the Durian Tunggal constituency in this opposition-led state was proof of the government’s commitment to helping the people.
Malaysians will go to the polls to choose the new federal government on Nov 19. The Election Commission has also set Nov 5 for nomination and Nov 15 for early voting.
On the Kepala Batas PPR project worth RM113 million, the Prime Minister said it would involve the construction of four-storey flats offering a total of 700 housing units with basic amenities on an 8.1-hectare land owned by the Penang Regional Development Authority (PERDA) in Pongsu Seribu, Seberang Perai Utara.
He said the project also offers seven houses for persons with disabilities.
“The construction cost of each of these houses is RM161,000 but it will be sold at only RM45,000, bringing the total subsidy borne by the government for the project to RM81.2 million,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the Bandar Putra Bertam Mosque project would be developed on the Penang Islamic Religious Council-owned land and will be able to accommodate 1,500 congregants at any one time.
He said the construction of the mosque, jointly financed by the federal government, state government and waqf fund, would be implemented with a Green Design concept or a low-carbon architecture, which will make it a new landmark or green building in Penang.
