State Housing Committee Chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said, however, such brokers for affordable homes have been brought to police attention before.
He revealed three cases involving “affordable homes brokers” were reported to police earlier this year, with one of them charged at the Magistrate’s Court here in March.
“There has been precedent of that (police action) happening. This comes under the purview of the police. I have sent a reminder to Penang Police Chief Abdul Ghafar Rajab to seek the status of the charges against those individuals.
“Those who have been duped by such individuals must lodge a police report. If they find sufficient evidence, they can take action. After you have lodged your report, communicate with me directly,” he said at a press conference in Komtar today.
Jagdeep said those vying for Penang’s affordable housing were vetted thoroughly to ensure that only the deserving got to own them.
“So, the question of making any payment to be guaranteed of owning such public housing units does not arise whatsoever. You need not pay even one sen. Even the forms are free.
“Any insinuation that the system in place allows for payment of any monies by individuals to secure a unit is clearly misplaced and mischievous.
“Such allegations are a disservice to all those who have been waiting this long and are eligible for such housing.
“Such deserving eligible applicants must be constantly reminded that their interests are being given paramount consideration, not the opposite, i.e. being fed untruths such as payment of money can secure public housing,” he said.
On Sunday, Penang Kini, a local political content provider on Facebook, uploaded a video allegedly depicting a man named Lim Keat Seong as an affordable homes agent. The site also named Keat Seong as the father of Sungai Pinang Assemblywoman Lim Siew Khim.
In the video, it appears that 68-year-old retiree “Uncle Lim” (Keat Seong) was berated by unhappy customers who were allegedly promised affordable housing units, but did not get them. The video was believed to have been shot secretly at a coffee shop late last year.
A mediator was also seen arranging to return monies to aggrieved customers in instalments.
It was alleged that “Uncle Lim” sought a RM260 consultant’s fee in order to secure affordable housing, among other miscellaneous fees.
Siew Khim immediately distanced herself from her father, saying she was unaware of her father’s deeds. She denied having any involvement in the matter, and also said Gerakan had tarnished her name by insinuating that she was part of the racket.
Gerakan had held a press conference yesterday and today, demanding answers to the matter. Party representatives said it would meet Governor Abdul Rahman Abbas to discuss the possibility of holding a Commission of Inquiry into the matter, since the Penang Government appeared to be nonchalant about the issue.
Meanwhile, Jagdeep said Gerakan’s insinuation that the Penang Housing Department was corrupt due to the latest revelation was “wholly baseless and scandalous in nature”.
“The allegations made are highly defamatory of the Penang Government, in particular the Selection Process Enhancement Committee (SPEC) and officials in the Housing Department,” he said.
SPEC deliberates which applicant can be considered eligible. It has sat 27 times. Since its inception in August 2013, it has approved 33,606 applicants to date.
Currently, it has 38,253 applicants on the waiting list for all housing categories.
SPEC comprises eight elected representatives — Jagdeep, Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, Dr Afif Bahardin, Ong Chin Wen, Jeff Ooi, Ng Wei Aik, Sim Tze Tzin and Teh Lai Heng.
The conditions for applicants to be eligible for affordable housing are: Malaysian citizen; aged 21 and above; Penang born or resident; and working in Penang.
Other requirements are based on the properties they buy i.e.:
RM42,000 (Category A) household income not more than RM2,500;
RM72,500 (B) – household income not more than RM3,500;
RM150,000 (C1) – household income not more than RM6,000;
RM200,000 (C2) – household income not more than RM8,000;
RM300,000 (C3) – household income not more than RM10,000.
Category A and B buyers must be first-time property owners; while buyers of the other categories can be owners of properties lower in value of the units they intend to buy.
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