Association proposes set up of task force to oversee affordable housing programme

KUALA LUMPUR: The National House Buyers Association has proposed an affordable housing task force to oversee affordable housing programme in order to boost house ownership among Malaysians.

Its Secretary-General, Chang Kim Loong, said the task force would coordinate and act as a single umbrella with the collection of data and having a database in the planning stage, construction stage and completed ones.

“It should include the big developers. They must be the forerunners as the task force must also benefit them.

“They like to sell high- end houses for more profits so it must be profitable for them to enjoy the same amount of profit for doing affordable housing,” he told reporters at a Dialogue on Sustainable Development of Affordable Housing here today.

Among present were Bank Negara Malaysia Deputy Governor, Shaik Abdul Rasheed Abdul Ghaffour, Cagamas Holdings Bhd Chairman Nik Mohd Hasyudeen Yusoff and National Housing Department Director-General Datuk Abdul Rahim Ishak.

Chang also proposed that the government offer tax incentives to developers to build affordable housing.

Meanwhile, Nik Mohd Hasyudeen said, one of major challenges faced by the government was the issue of housing and particularly the adequate provision of affordable housing in view of escalating house price.

He said that demand for housing in the country remained strong following a relatively young population.

“Rising affluence and a growing and larger middle income group underpinned strong demand for housing by first-time buyers and as an asset class. Inevitably these forces put pressure on housing prices. Affordability has thus surfaced as an issue for the younger workforce,” said Nik Mohd Hasyudeen.

The Dialogue on Sustainable Development of Affordable Housing, organised by Cagamas Holdings, aims at creating a platform for an exchange and deliberating views as well as issues relating to affordable housing locally and internationally. — Bernama