Guan Eng laments absence of PR1MA
GEORGE TOWN: Penang is a good place to implement affordable home schemes but unfortunately, there are no 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) housing schemes in the state, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He said although Penang is ideal for affordable home projects, not a single federal government affordable home scheme was implemented.
Speaking at the topping-off ceremony of Ramah Pavilion at Teluk Kumbar yesterday, Lim hoped the federal government will build PR1MA homes in Penang soon.
He said the introduction of affordable home schemes will enable more locals, especially firsttime buyers and young families from the mid to low income groups, to own their first home at an affordable price.
He said M Summit Group is among the first private developers to build affordable housing projects with its impressive Ramah Pavilion project that cost a total of RM185 million.
Ramah Pavilion offers affordable pricing at the rate of RM247 to RM295 per square feet for unit sizes ranging from 800sq feet to 1,350sq feet, with each unit priced between RM198,000 and RM398,000.
Lim added that the state government and the Penang Development Corporation have 14 affordable housing projects in the pipeline which will see 26,255 units of affordable housing type A (formerly known as low cost), type B (low-medium cost ) and type C (affordable housing in the price range of RM150,000 to RM300,000) being built for Penangites.
Penang Affordable Housing scheme was officially initiated in February 2013.
To date, more than 20,000 units of affordable houses have been built by the state government since 2008.