SHAH ALAM, 12 Aug 2017:
The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) is planning to introduce homes under the People’s Housing Project (PPR) to cater to the needs of the middle income group (M40).
Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said the PPR scheme had, at the moment, only been targeted for the lower-income group (B40) and said the government wished to extend the project to the M40 – in its bid to help the latter bracket own affordable and comfortable homes.
“The working paper for this suggestion (PPR for M40) has been prepared and will be brought to the government, the soonest possible,” he told a press conference after officiating the Affordable Homes Carnival (KPMM)-Malaysia Property Exposition (MAPEX) 2017 here today.
Noh said the government, at the moment, had subsidised over RM100,000 for each PPR home for the B40 group – which saw the owners pay only RM35,000.
“As for the M40 group, the government may not give the same subsidy as the B40’s PPR. The government might consider giving discounts between 10% and 20% for properties with the market value of RM700,000. This is what we’re planning.”
Noh also urged Bank Negara Malaysia not to impose strict terms and conditions on first-time buyers and suggested these terms should be different from borrowers who owned more than one property.
About 30 housing developers and 13 government agencies participated in the three-day KPMM-MAPEX 2017 at the Shah Alam Convention Centre here – which ends tomorrow.
The event serves as a one-stop centre for the public who have been scouting for their first home below RM500,000 – which are available in the market – be they in the Klang Valley, Melaka, Kedah, Perak or Penang.
Meanwhile in LUMUT, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir yesterday launched the ground breaking ceremony for the Elemen@Seri Manjung Housing Project in Kampung Datuk Seri Kamarudin.
He said the project is part of the government’s initiatives to ensure the housing price would remain affordable, hence giving the opportunity to the low-income earners to own a house.
The said the housing price could be controlled through discussion with the housing developers.
“We want to create balance and don’t want to see a huge gap just because certain quarters are more interested in making profit without thinking about the people’s financial ability to buy a house.
“I’m glad to say that Perak is among the best states in terms of house ownership among the people.”
The RM40 million project, implemented by Perak State Secretary Incorporated, is expected to be completed by 2020, offering 208 apartment units on a 2.19ha site.
Each unit is priced between RM170,000 and RM200,000.
– Bernama