KUALA LUMPUR: The Government allocated RM1.9bil this year to build 123,000 affordable homes in strategic locations throughout the country by 1Malaysia People's Housing (PR1MA), Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) and the National Housing Department.
The Finance Ministry, in its Economic Report 2013/2014 released Friday, said RM500mil was allocated to PR1MA to build 50,000 homes in prime locations across the country and another RM300mil to build 30,000 homes in collaboration with private developers.
A total of 320,000 people will own their own homes under the affordable housing programme, when the homes costing between RM100,000 and RM400,000 per unit are expected to be completed in 2016.
PR1MA homes, which are generally 20% cheaper than the current market price, are sold through an open balloting system and are expected to be ready in three years.
For low-income earners, the government has allocated RM320mil to SPNB to build 22,855 homes, including 1,855 medium-cost apartment units and 10,000 units of public housing projects, to be completed in 2015.
Meanwhile, the Government also allocated RM543mil to the National Housing Department to construct 20,454 unit of People's Housing Programme (PPR) units using the Industrialised Building System.
In line with its efforts to create an IT-savvy generation and to equip the people with the latest information, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has allocated RM150mil to establish 1Malaysia Internet centres (PI1M) in urban PPR areas.
It was reported that by August 2013, some 359 PI1M were established.
In addition to the high housing market prices, the young generation in the country has difficulty in making the downpayment to purchase a home.
Therefore, the government has introduced the My First Home Scheme, a home financing scheme enjoyed by young people earning less than RM5,000 for individual or joint income of up to RM10,000 and, in August 2013, some 108 applicants received approval from the banking system.
Apart from addressing the issue of housing, the government has also expanded the urban public transport network.
"Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad launched Rapid Kuantan in December 2012 following the success of Rapid KL and Rapid Penang," the report said.
KTM Komuter has also extended its 50% discount on fares to all Malaysians earning less than RM3,000 since November 2012, in addition to the discounts given to pensioners, the disabled and students with a total of 158,000 passengers have benefited from the discount since June 2013. - Bernama
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