Budget reaffirms federal capital’s commitment to public housing

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 20): Kuala Lumpur City Hall has allocated more than RM201 million for public housing in its 2016 budget.

Mayor Datuk Mhd Nordin Abdul Aziz said that City Hall needed to ensure there were enough houses to accommodate Kuala Lumpur’s 1.8 million inhabitants.

“The cost of living has been increasing, which is limited the low and middle income groups in their ability to buy homes of their own,” he said while announcing the city’s budget for 2016 yesterday.

Amin said that City Hall will therefore be selling more than 45,000 of its total 71,000 low-cost (PPR) flats and public housing to the lower income groups.

“Although 12,345 units (27%) have already been sold, as of Sept 30, City Hall is still responsible for maintaining the area in which they are situated,” he said, adding that RM153 million will be set for maintaining the units.

Amin said that a further RM48 million would also be used to improve public housing facilities. He added that City Hall would be purchasing 350 low cost houses from Tetuan Sentul Sdn Bhd to make available for the public.

Meanwhile, Amin said that City Hall had been losing RM40 million every year in unpaid rent arrears for PPR housing.

“The rent is RM124 a month for a unit, yet there are those who do not pay,” he said.

Amin said that more than 200 units have been repossessed in the past two years from unscrupulous residents.

“Some sublet the place, some don’t even live there,” he said, adding that five people were brought to court for arrears of more than RM10,000.

“They can buy cars, motorcycles, pay for their Astro, but they can’t pay the rental of just RM124 a month,” he said. -- The Malaysian Insider