MB: IT WILL BOOST HOME OWNERSHIP
Property expo will draw Kedahans and non-Kedahans, says Bashah
THE Kedah government has lauded the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) (M) Bhd’s initiative in connecting potential home buyers with property developers through its MyRumah Property Showcase 2017.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, in commending the effort, said the three-day showcase was a great boost to the state government’s aspiration of promoting home ownership among families in Kedah.
Bashah said property developers played a crucial role in complementing development plans rolled out by the state government by providing quality and affordable homes for the people.
“Analysis shows that the property development in Kedah is booming by five per cent.
“Thus, NSTP’s MyRumah Property Showcase 2017 will further highlight the property development here, not only to Kedahans but also those who wish to own a house or invest in property in the state,” he said at the launch of the three-day property showcase at Aman Central, here, yesterday.
Present were state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Badrul Hisham Hashim, NSTP chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Jalil Hamid, NSTP regional and creative services general manager Zulkarnain Abd Talib and Aman Central marketing communications manager Wendy Wong.
Bashah said besides state government-linked companies, private developers were also instrumental in meeting the growing demand for affordable homes in Kedah.
He said the demand for housing in the state was expected to rise once new catalyst projects, such as the Kedah Science and Technology Park and Kedah Rubber City, took off.
“We are waiting for the Federal Government’s approval of Kedah’s proposed second dutyfree area in Bukit Kayu Hitam, apart from Langkawi.
“The new duty-free area covering 5,260ha in Bukit Kayu Hitam will also see a jump in demand for properties in the state,” he said.
He added that besides young families, Kedah was also attracting home buyers among retirees as housing prices and the cost of living in the state were relatively cheaper than other states.
Meanwhile, Badrul Hisham said the state government had almost achieved its target of building 40,000 units of affordable homes in Kedah by this year.
He said some 38,000 homes had been completed and were under construction at various places, with 20,000 units developed under the 1Malaysia People’s Housing (PR1MA) initiative.
In applauding NSTP’s effort, he urged Kedahans, particularly those who had yet to own a home, to visit the NSTP MyRumah Property Showcase 2017 event.
“Some of the prospective buyers are not well versed with financing requirements, so this is the best platform for them to seek advice from experts on the property that suits their budget and preference,” he said.