Housing woes an issue in Kelantan

Both BN and Pakatan candidates up the ante and blame each other for the lack of affordable housing in the state.





 KOTA BHARU: It is the joint responsibility of the federal and state governments to provide affordable housing in the country, said a PAS leader here.

PAS deputy secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, said it will be unfair to pin the blame on just one party if affordable housing does not become a reality.

An understanding was sealed with the state governments, where the federal side will provide technical expertise and funds, while the state provides land to build the houses.

In Kelantan, the federal side were not involved in any housing projects for over two decades probably because of the political differences between both sides.

Takiyuddin, who is taking on Najib Tun Razak’s politicial secretary Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh for the Kota Baru parliament seat, was rebutting claims of neglect by the state government.

State Umno Youth head Anuar Safian, who is contesting the Kubang Kerian parliamentary seat, said that the shortage of affordable homes is one of the major issues in this election.

Anuar said many are struggling to purchase homes as property prices keep soaring, particularly the landed ones, owing to the lack of effort by certain state governments.

“Some governments are only interested in the political mileage they may gain rather than helping the poor and middle income group to get affordable housing,” alleged Anuar.

First time voters may be kingmakers

With just four days to go before official voting commences, BN big guns Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin will be in the state today and tomorrow.

They are hoping that after 22 years, BN may finally be able to wrest the state from PAS.

However, a political observer Mokhtar Hussein, who is also a blogger, said the so-called winds of change is merely a breeze now.

Despite the slow pace of development and the lethargic performance of the PAS-led state government, the folk here seem content with their lives, said Mokhtar.

Kelantan PAS is also said to be in a transitional stage as its longest serving mentri besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, 82, is likely to step aside after two decades at the helm.

This has created an uneasy situation over who is the ideal candidate to fill the shoes of the iconic leader and Mokhtar said a clearer picture may emerge soon.

He estimated that about 100,000 outstation voters will return home to Kelantan to vote, and as in the previous two elections, will play a pivotal role in the outcome.

Mokhtar also pointed out the high presence of the youngster who are first time voters may also be the kingmakers this time around.

“But based on our evaluation, no one side will emerge a big winner in Kelantan. It is too close a call to make,” he said.