MORE than 3,000 middle-class families in Penang will be deprived of roofs over their heads if the Advertising Permit and Developer Licence (APDL) for housing projects are not approved by Putrajaya, said state Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.

He said 10 low-cost and low medium-cost and affordable housing projects were affected by the delay.

“They comprise three low-cost projects with 339 units, four low-medium cost projects with 1,167 units and three affordable housing projects of 1,682 units.

“That comes up to 3,188 units. The households that bought them will be deprived of roofs over their heads. These are families who cannot afford property that is more than RM400,000.

Jagdeep Singh said Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan “must answer to them.”

He told reporters at the recent launching of Tri Pinnacle show unit at Aspen Group’s head office in Jalan Macalister that he would write a reminder to Abdul Rahman.

“I will be asking him to fast-track and expedite the approvals especially for these 10 projects.

“When you talk about not giving APDL, you must understand that it includes LC, LMC and affordable housing and I think you’re a very irresponsible government because this type of housing is not for those who are well-off. It is for those who really need homes.

“So I think they must understand what they are doing when they simply turn a blind eye without understanding the type of applications before them,” he added.