Five housing entities to be placed under ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry has finalised five housing entities to be placed under the ministry to oversee and coordinate all affordable housing development in the country.

Its minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the agencies were Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia (PR1MA), 1Malaysia Civil Servants Housing Programme (PPA1M), UDA Holdings Bhd, Syarikat Perumahan Negara (SPNB) and the Hardcore Poor Housing Programme (PPRT).

“The plan to put the agencies under my ministry will be included in the National Housing Policy, which is expected to be rolled out in December.

“This will allow for a consolidated approach as well as to avoid any overlapping of affordable housing projects. It will also ensure appropriate approach for private developers with correct guidelines and engagements on affordable housing,” she told reporters here yesterday.

Zuraida said this after participating in the ‘IndustryGovernment Open Dialogue with Minister of Housing and Local Government’ organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute.

Meanwhile, Zuraida said state governments were required to submit their proposed land for low-cost housing projects by the end of the month.

“So by the end of this month state governments must have identified lands for us (ministry) to build low-cost houses. So far, only Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Perak have submitted their proposals,” she said, adding that the proposed lands must be of one to four hectares.