Eight DBKL land sites to be developed for subsidised rental housing—minister

• The eight locations identified are Bandar Baru Sentul, Taman Desa, Pekan Salak Selatan, Jalan Selimang Cheras, Tasik Permaisuri, Taman Alam Damai, Wayfield Sungai Besi and Taman Desa Seputeh.

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 28): The Federal Territories Department has identified eight sites for the development of subsidised public rental housing (PASS) to ensure the bottom 40% income group continues to have access to safe, liveable and inclusive housing in the federal capital.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (pictured) said the projects, to be developed on land owned by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), will be carried out in phases, prioritising areas with high demand.

“The eight locations identified are Bandar Baru Sentul (0.57 hectares), Taman Desa (seven hectares), Pekan Salak Selatan (1.58 hectares), Jalan Selimang Cheras (1.36 hectares), Tasik Permaisuri (0.41 hectares), Taman Alam Damai (0.45 hectares), Wayfield Sungai Besi (0.82 hectares) and Taman Desa Seputeh (1.12 hectares),” she said during an oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara on Thursday.

She was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Seri Prof Dr Awang Sariyan on the government’s efforts to ensure vulnerable groups in the city continue to have access to safe housing.

Under the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (PTKL2040), Zaliha said PASS was introduced to support groups such as senior citizens, single mothers and low-income individuals unable to afford homes in the city.

The PTKL2040 outlines several strategies, including the creation of a 353.53-hectare R4 residential zone specifically for affordable housing, as well as plot ratio incentives for private developers who incorporate affordable housing (RMM) components in mixed-use projects.

“The government emphasises that affordable housing must not only meet demand in terms of numbers, but also be integrated with basic facilities such as schools, clinics, green spaces and public transport to ensure a better quality of life,” she said.

Zaliha added that the government is working across agencies, including with the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, to help asnaf groups secure homes through a rent-to-own scheme.

She said financial institutions are also being engaged to offer intergenerational loans, enabling children to take housing loans on behalf of their ageing parents who no longer qualify for conventional financing.

Besides PASS, programmes such as Residensi Madani, PR1MA, PPAM and SASaR are also being rolled out as part of a comprehensive plan to make Kuala Lumpur an inclusive, sustainable and competitive city by 2040.

As Penang girds itself towards the last lap of its Penang2030 vision, check out how the residential segment is keeping pace in EdgeProp’s special report: PENANG Investing Towards 2030.