GEORGE TOWN: Despite being wheelchair-bound, Rohani Ibrahim could not contain her happiness over owning her first house at the age of 68.
“I am so happy!” said the retiree who has spinal disc problem.
Rohani, who also has hearing difficulty, was lost for words as she received her ballot for a low-cost unit in Batu Maung.
Her daughter Isnicoati Ismail, 40, said they were very lucky as they applied for the affordable housing scheme just a year ago.
However, retiree V. Rajasivari, 65, whose ballot was picked for a Bukit Mertajam low-cost unit was a little disappointed with getting a place on the 15th floor.
“I am very happy to own my first house but the unit is too high for me,” she said.
Rohani and Rajasivari were among 200 people who successfully got a RM42,000 flat unit by developer Sunway Property.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow witnessed the eligible individuals balloting for flat units in Sunway Property @ Anson.
In his speech, he commended the company for helping the state government realise its pledge of building 75,000 units of low-cost and low-medium cost housing by 2020.
“We have surpassed the grand total with 80,000 units built to date,” he announced proudly, adding that some houses were completed and some are still under construction.
He also applauded Sunway Property for undertaking the Build-Then-Sell (BTS) concept for low-cost developments to benefit low-income earners in savings on instalment interests.
There are now 30,726 people on the waiting list to buy low and low-medium cost units and 12,326 for other categories, with the majority of them on the island, he said.
“The Penang government is looking into various options such as the rent-to-own scheme to ensure low-income earners can own their homes too,” he said at the event.
Sunway Berhad Penang senior property division executive director Daniel Lim Hin Soon congratulated the first time home owners.
These owners will get their house keys next month.
Also at the event were Batu Maung assemblyman Abdul Halim Hussain, Penang Housing Division senior principal assistant secretary Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi, Sunway Berhad Property Development Penang Division general manager Ahila Ganesan and Sunway Berhad Property Development Penang Division assistant general manager Fong Choon Fuoi.