Low-cost public housing schemes should not be stigmatised as black spots for social ills, says Nga Kor Ming.
The Housing and Local Government Minister said these units should not be built as an afterthought for the poor, but as decent homes that cater to humanity.
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The Housing and Local Government Minister said these units should not be built as an afterthought for the poor, but as decent homes that cater to humanity.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/yv5r34su
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
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NewsTranscript
00:00While we celebrate this new milestone, we must also focus on finding a balance between
00:08the rapid growth of the property market and also the need for affordable housing.
00:15We must avoid the tale of two cities like stated by Charles Dickens, where one part
00:21of the city remains for the rich and the other part is for the poor and the less privileged.
00:29According to the National Property Information Centre, NAPIC, property market report, affordable
00:38houses priced at $300,000 and below have made up 52.5% of total residential transactions
00:48last year.
00:49This indicates a strong demand from Malaysians for affordable homes and the Government is
00:56dedicated to delivering more in line with the Malaysian Badani's aspirations and the
01:04United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
01:08However, this mission cannot be achieved alone.
01:13It demands the four P models.
01:17Four P means the People, Public and Private Partnerships, which refer to the symphony
01:24of Government Direction, Private Sector Innovation as well as Community Wisdom.
01:31Ladies and Gentlemen, let me begin with the back rope of this effort, Government Direction.
01:38Under the 12 Malaysia Plan, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government is dedicated
01:44to building 500,000 affordable housing units in this country.
01:50This includes initiatives by Prima Housing, Rumah Kediaman, SPMB, Rumah Mesra Rakyat,
02:01which provide quality housing at very affordable prices.
02:05I am pleased to share with you that as at 1st December 2024, we achieved 93.9% of the
02:14targets with 466,421 units of affordable housing being approved.
02:24At the same time, we have also empowered over 50,000 first-time homebuyers from the B40
02:32and M40 families with Government-backed loans through the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme,
02:39what we call Scheme Jaminan Kredit Perumahan, SJKP.
02:45In response to the high demand, the Mandarin Government announced an additional allocation
02:52of $10 billion in Budget 2025 for the scheme, as well as tax incentives on housing loan
03:01interest payment to lessen the financial burden on the first-time homebuyers.
03:08As of this morning, more than 78,000 homebuyers have benefitted from the SJKP scheme.
03:17Furthermore, we rebranded Program Perumahan Rakyat PPR, which was started in 1995.
03:25So we have a facelift and the upgraded version called Program Residency Rakyat PRR.
03:34At the Ministry, one of my key focuses is to remove stigma associated with affordable
03:39housing, as PPRs are often labelled as a black spot for anti-social activities.
03:49As I have always emphasised, affordable housing should not just be liveable, but also loveable.
03:57It is not just about providing a roof over people's stock.
04:02It is about creating spaces that enrich their life.
04:07It must be designed with humanity at its core, focusing on the need and well-being of the
04:15people who will call it home.
04:19As such, the new PRR concept emphasises on five key principles.
04:25That is, accessibility, sustainability, liveability, connectivity and mobility with public facilities,
04:37which maybe this morning I will add one more, with a decent community.
04:42Ladies and gentlemen, it incorporates sustainable features such as Green Building Index GBI,
04:49solar panels and rainwater collection system to ensure that the urban poor are not left
04:56behind during the transition into a green economy.
05:02Equally important are the human elements, community centres, childcare facilities and
05:11green public spaces that foster connection and support.
05:17In line with the Malaysian Madani aspiration, we must ensure that these homes do not just
05:23meet basic needs, but enhance the quality of life for any individual and family.