Govt policies don’t marginalise the poor, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The policies adopted by the Madani government will not overlook the interests of the poor in the country, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Citing the groundbreaking for Residensi Suria Madani in Taman Desa here on Thursday (Aug 29), he said the project provides benefits and comfort to the underprivileged group in the city.

“Kuala Lumpur City Hall approved it within 45 days… a record since before independence until now, as approval usually takes from eight months to a year and two months.

“But if the company provides a solid geotechnical study, environmental impact assessment and everything else, there is no reason why approval can’t be given quickly.

“I am grateful because, in a short time, we have shown effective implementation.

“We launched the Madani people’s housing project costing RM200,000 and below (per unit) in Taman Desa, close to high-end residential areas,” he said in his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park in Bagan Serai, Kerian, Perak on Friday (Aug 30).

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According to Anwar, some residents sent him objections, saying that the housing project was unsuitable because the tall buildings might cause congestion and cleanliness issues.

In response, he said the luxury housing in the area was built on village land, and some of the land was purchased at a low price.

“So who will clean, who will fix the electricity, who will provide other facilities if not the lower-income workers? Where should they live? In remote areas? That’s unreasonable.

“I do not heed such objections as long as the houses have three bedrooms, 800 square feet, good management and maintenance, green parks, playgrounds, and cleanliness is guaranteed. That is sufficient.

“Otherwise (if there is no public housing project), we would have a policy reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, where there is a beautiful city with a group of the poorest and a group of the super-rich.”

As such, Anwar said the Madani government must discard policies that undermine the importance of the poorer groups.

“I hope this serves as a lesson for all cities and towns,” he said. – Bernama