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Government Spends RM13 Billion To Help People Own Houses

Last update: 05/10/2017

SUBANG, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- The government has spent almost RM13 billion to help the people to own own their dream houses and resolve all housing issues, said Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar.



He said this was done through several initiatives, including the 1Malaysia Civil Servants Housing Project (PPA1M) and the 1Malaysia People's Housing Programme (PR1MA).



The minister said the needs of B40 and M40 income groups were also given due attention when the government introduced, among others, rent-to-own scheme, MyHome, and MyDeposit scheme.



"Credit and thanks are due to our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for his tireless commitment in continuously offering creative solutions to improve the housing issues for the Malaysians," he said when opening the 20th National Housing and Property Summit 2017 here today.



On another note, he said, private sector need to continue building affordable housing projects to assist the people.



Speaking to reporters later, Noh said the government had proposed to Bank Negara Malaysia to relax the terms and conditions for housing loan applications for the first-time buyers, especially those from the B40 income group.



He said it was part of solutions to assist those with monthly household income of less than RM3,800 as they experience difficulty in obtaining loan even for a property worth RM35,000.



"We (the ministry) suggested that the central bank take it into considerations, and their representatives were opened to the ideas. However, I do understand that the central bank has to take into consideration the ability of the applicants to pay back.



"I believe that the agency will look into the idea with holistic views before making any decision or conclusion. I hope they can do something about the B40 income group to have their own dream houses," he said.



The two-day event organised by the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI), which began today, will take stock of challenges and opportunities facing the industry, and also review the emerging trends and the state of the economy which will impact the property sector.



In another development, the minister said the Selangor government and its Petaling Land and District Office should have been more considerate, especially before deciding to demolish the structure on the state government-owned land adjacent to the Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport in Subang, as it involved two houses occupied by two families.



He said that it was only right if the two families were offered new places to stay before their homes were demolished and that if the state government could not afford to do so, the ministry was prepared to provide two units of the Lembah Subang People's Housing Project (PPR) flats for the families.



"I have asked the local authority not to demolish the houses...until they move out, but I was shocked to learn that their houses had been demolished even before the occupants were able to find a new home," he said in response to the demolishment of three houses and 2 shops in the compound of a mosque adjacent to the airport yesterday.



Nine men, comprising residents and activists of a political party, were detained for obstructing the demolishing work.



-- BERNAMA