Penang Development Corporation's general manager Rosli Jaafar was shocked at state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow's recent comment on affordable housing, saying it was "untruthful and irresponsible criticism".

NONERosli (left) was upset at Teng's remark that the affordable housing programme carried out by the state government was "insincere" because setting housing prices at RM400,000 did not assist poor and middle-income earners.

"How can Teng say PDC's units are priced at RM400,000 when the fact is that it is priced at the same range set by the federal government?

"They cost between RM72,500 to RM400,000 in the urban areas and RM 72,500 to RM220,000 in the rural areas," said Rosli.

Teng had made those comments in responding to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's announcement on Tuesday that his administration was setting a ceiling price of RM400,000 for a 1,000 sq feet "affordable housing" unit scheduled to be built at Jalan SP Chelliah.

However Lim had also said that PDC's implementation of the housing scheme of 19,000 units throughout the state, including the island, started from RM72,500 to RM400,000.

Not making profit

Rosli, also refuted Teng's claims that PDC was making a profit from the programme, saying it was a corporate social responsibility project, and of the best quality in Penang.

He cited HDB Singapore's Batu Kawan housing project as the inspiration for it. HDB Singapore is reputed as the best builder of affordable housing in the world.

"The price range follows the federal government's PR1MA project, continued Rosli.

"It was Prime Minister Najib Razak who had announced the top price as RM400,000 for urban areas in his 2013 Budget speech in September last year.

"When I was tasked by Lim to make plans for the special RM500 million affordable housing fund, he said to follow the PR1MA price range as affordable housing was too important an issue to be politicised.

"So I followed the price range set by the federal government."

Rosli also asked why Teng did not criticise the federal government when it had also sold houses at RM400,000, saying that picking on PDC could be seen as an attempt to undermine the state's affordable housing programme.

The PDC general manager added he was willing to apologise to Lim and correct the housing plans if Teng could prove that the top of the range price was not RM400,000.

"However if Teng fails to do so, then he should apologise to me to prove he is not trying to undermine my professional reputation or the housing programme."

Rosli said until Teng did so, the PDC will continue to open registration counters for the public at Komtar, PDC offices and Seberang Perai Municipal headquarters in Bandar Perda from Feb 7, 9am-5pm, including the Chinese New Year public holidays.