GEORGE TOWN, July 21 — The Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications (BNSC) today questioned the speed with which the special purpose vehicle (SPV) luxury condominium project was approved by the DAP-led Penang government.

BNSC deputy-director Datuk Eric See-To said the project by the SPV company was approved within eight days whereas the affordable homes by the state government itself took 223 days to get approval.

“Checks showed that an affordable home project owned by the Penang government on the island took 223 days to get approval from the Penang City Council (MBPP) compared to only eight days for the SPV company’s luxury development project,” he said in a statement today.

He said the SPV company for the undersea tunnel project in Penang had paid RM135 million for a plot of land by the seaside which was transferred to the company on Feb 17, 2015 as first payment for the consultancy study for three road projects worth RM209 million,

He said the SPV company then entered into a joint-venture with a public listed company to develop the luxury condominium project and applied to the MBPP for planning permission on March 9, 2015.

The approval was given within eight days even though the standard approval period was 108 days.

“The question that arises now is whether the SPV Tunnel company was given special treatment since it obtained the approval for the luxury condominium project in very quick time, compared to the affordable homes project,” he said in a statement today.

See-To said the federal government’s affordable homes project took 516 days to get approval from the MBPP’s planning division, compared to only eight days for the luxury condominium project by the Penang Tunnel SPV company, and 223 days for an affordable home project by the Penang government itself.

He said the condominium project was reported to be worth RM800 million and involved the construction of a 40-storey building with 572 units, each unit priced at RM1,200 per square foot and above.

He added that the condo project was now facing delays after 100 residents in the area protested against it and obtained a stay order from the Penang Appeals Board to delay it.

The controversial 7.2-kilometre undersea tunnel project connects Persiaran Gurney on the island to Bagan Ajam in Seberang Prai as well as the construction of three main roads. — Bernama