LIVING with eight family members in her father’s three-bedroom flat in Air Itam, Penang, has not been easy for 38-year-old nurse Teoh Sin Kim.
So when she got to ballot for her Selasih Court low medium- cost (LMC) unit in Tanjung Tokong, she could not contain her happiness.
“I am all excited about moving into the new flat with my two children, aged 12 and 18.
“There were eight of us living in our flat and some of us had to sleep in the living room.
“It was not easy but we didn’t have a choice,” she said, adding that she had applied for affordable housing in 2004 and 2008 without success.
Teoh was among 87 people who were successful in getting the flat units sold at RM72,500 by developer Eastern & Oriental Berhad (E&O).
Another successful applicant was fisherman Kamaruddin Othman, 65, who said he was happy to have his very own unit, as he and his family had been living in a transit home for the last decade.
“I have been a fisherman for the last 50 years and I do not earn much.
“I am so happy to finally have my own home and for it to be on the first floor, it is such a bonus!” said the father of 10.
Businessman Saleem Sulaiman, 55, said he would no longer have to pay for rent as he is now a unit owner, adding that he could not wait to move in with his wife, their 10-year-old son and his elderly father.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng witnessed the eligible individuals balloting for flat units in Seri Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Tokong, Penang, yesterday.
In his opening speech, he congratulated E&O for completing another LMC housing project, after Nipah Court and Palm Court in 2009.
“E&O has fulfilled its obligation as stipulated by the Concession Agreement for Seri Tanjung Pinang by building 1,194 units of affordable homes.
“They also made the initiative to build an extra 142 units,” he said, adding that E&O had delivered 1,336 units of affordable housing since 2009.
State Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said that the state would continue to ensure that affordable housing in Penang is fixed at RM42,000 and RM72,500 for low-cost (LC) and LMC housing.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon and E&O managing director Kok Tuck Cheong.
Of the 100 units held by E&O, 87 were released for balloting. The remaining 13 were reserved by the state government for the relocation of squatters in the area.
Selasih Court is a 2.3ha development comprising 644 units by E&O Property (Penang) Sdn Bhd with 544 units sold to UDA Holdings Berhad. The 100 units retained by E&O are sold in accordance to the list of names provided by Penang State Housing Department.
The units, each measuring 657sq ft, are housed in two 15-storey blocks.
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