The Local Government and Housing Ministry is currently conducting an extensive research on the proposed National Housing Corporation (NHC).

Its minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the objective to have the NHC was to ensure a centralised and standardise public and affordable housing industry for easier monitoring.

“Currently, we have 15 different agencies handling public and affordable home matters.

“We want to consolidate all the 15 agencies under NHC to secure more targeted strategies,” he told a press conference after presenting the Ideal Residency affordable housing offer letters to the eligible applicants today.

Reezal Merican said RM3 million has been allocated for the extensive research of NHC.

“The period for the research is two years,” he said.

Separately, he said that he planned to proposed to the Federal Government to consider a MyHome 2.0 scheme.

“We need the Federal Government’s intervention or a facilitation fund to encourage developers to build more affordable homes,” he said.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow welcomed the minister’s effort to consolidate the various Federal Government agencies that were handling public and affordable home matters.

“We hope that the ministry will also engage the stakeholders and consider their views. The Penang government is willing to cooperate and provide its input,” he said.

In his speech, Chow said the percentage of bank loan approvals for the year 2020 has reduced as compared to 2019.

“According to the HousingWatch.my portal, the percentage of bank loan approvals has decreased by 1.1% last year. It was 72% as at December 2020 as compared to 73.1% in 2019. This is the nationwide phenomenon.

“As for Penang, the percentage of bank loan approvals for the year 2020 has reduced by 1.2% last year. It was 73.1% as at December 2020 as compared to 74.3% in 2019,” Chow said.

Chow hoped that the Federal Government and the bank institutions could jointly address the matter.

State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo renewed the state’s commitment not to increase the price for low-cost (LC) and low medium-cost (LMC) homes.

“We want the Local Government and Housing Ministry to look into the matter.

“This is because there are states that have increase the price of their LC and LMC homes.

“We have to protect the people. That is our job,” he said.

Jagdeep thanked ministry for planning to build two People’s Housing Projects (PPRs) in Penang.

“I hope that the ministry can reconsider building five PPRs in Penang. Penang does not only consist of the island and the mainland, it consists of five districts,” he said.

Also present were Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh, Deputy State Secretary (Development) Datuk Azhar Arshad, PR1MA Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Nazri Shariff and Ideal Property Group chief operating officer Datuk Goh Teng Whoo.

Source: Buletin Mutiara