Its minister Nga Kor Ming said the people’s housing project (PPR) will be built on five pieces of state-owned land on the island and Seberang Perai, with the first sites being developed in Jelutong and Kepala Batas.

The new units would supplement the existing 999 PPR units in the state, which was the lowest in the country. Around 1,000 Penangites have been on the waiting list for over a decade.

The homes will be offered at RM45,000 a unit or with the option of a 20-year rent-to-own scheme at RM237 a month.

Nga expects all 1,000 units across the five locations to be ready in the next four years.

“Penang, despite being the second smallest state, contributes RM7 billion in taxes a year, the third largest in the country. They deserve this,” he said in a speech at the Town Hall here.

Nga said besides PPRs, RM9.6 million has been approved under the housing maintenance programme, for repairs and upgrade to 22 flats and apartment buildings in the state.

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai City Council were also allocated RM1.9 million to maintain reservoirs and the building of 45 new hawker kiosks.

He said an additional RM1 million would be allocated to upgrade the derelict Taman Tun Sardon food court in Gelugor next March.

Nga also denied that his announcement today was in light of the upcoming state election, saying he had previously announced RM40 million to Penang in February.