By BERNAMA / Pic By MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

On BEHALF of the federal agency, the Penang government can now monitor and supervise the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) in the state.

State local government, housing, urban and rural planning committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the PR1MA project in the state was long overdue during the late years of the Barisan Nasional governing period.

“Following discussions with Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, she agreed to let us monitor and supervise the project’s progress, instead of the federal agency,” he told reporters after visiting the PR1MA site at Kg Kastam, Jalan Bukit Gambir in Georgetown, Penang, yesterday.

Jagdeep expects no delay from any housing project, regardless whether it is a state government project or federally initiated affordable housing project in Penang, for the benefit of the people of Penang.

However, he said the PR1MA project at Kg Kastam had been given the green light by the Penang Island City Council, prior to the 14th General Election.

“For Penang, we received three applications that have been approved, two at Kg Kastam and the other at Batu Ferringhi,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ideal Property Group executive chairman Tan Sri Alex Ooi said it expected the project to begin by year end.