241,595 affordable homes built from 2009 to April 2017

AS many as 241,595 affordable homes were built nationwide from 2009 until April this year, said Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar.

He said the total included 21.7 per cent of the target of 1.1 million affordable homes that the government planned to build for the lower income group.

“A total of 634,295 affordable houses are still under construction while for 256,138 units the process of identifying construction sites was still going on,” he said when replying to a question by Khalid Abdul Samad (Amanah- Shah Alam) at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday.

In reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (BN-Rompin) regarding the eligibility requirements to buy affordable homes, Noh said the ministry was always conducting screening and imposing conditions on affordable housing applicants comprising low-income earners.

“The applicants must be earning not more than RM3,000 a month and the applications will be sent to the Inland Revenue Board before displaying the name within two weeks for the objection process.

“In the event of any objections from the public, we will investigate and withdraw the application if the applicant fails to meet the conditions required to qualify for owning affordable homes,” he said. — Bernama