Press statement
9 December 2010
Clarification to Press Reports on Press Statement by Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) on Housing Policies and Affordability in Malaysia, December 2, 2010.
The Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) would like to make some clarifications on the press reports in Utusan Melayu, Star and Berita Harian.
First, the press statement was organized by CAP and given by Mr. Mohd Idris, the President of CAP and Dr. Lim was requested to be present at the press conference. While Dr. Lim is a Senior Fellow at SERI (Socio-economic and Environmental Research Institute), he was speaking in his personal capacity as special advisor to CAP on the housing issue at the press conference. Thus it was erroneously reported in several newspapers that SERI made the press statement. This should be corrected.
Second, on the front page of Utusan Melayu ( December 3, 2010) and in the Berita Harian’s Wilayah section (December 6,2010) it was reported that “It is unfortunate for the people of Penang state if the DAP government does not take the housing issue seriously of (Amat malang bagi rakyat negeri ini khususnya jika kerajaan DAP Pulau Pinang tidak memandang serius isu ini) ” . This is an inaccurate representation of what was said.
The press conference was about the need for a credible housing policy in Malaysia as the problem of affordable housing is nationwide problem and is not specifically confined to Penang state.
We had asked that government (both federal and state) act to ensure that citizens can either own their own homes or afford to rent public housing.
S.M.Mohamed Idris
President