LOW-COST HOUSES: Bigger low-cost houses under way, says Abdullah
02/06/2007 NST By Minderjeet Kaur and Eileen Ng

Some residents of the Intan Baiduri PPR scheme in Kepong Utara greeting the prime minister’s good news with joy.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will build more and bigger low-cost housing units for sale at a new price of RM35,000, the prime minister said.

A total of 32,762 units are being constructed in the city through the National Economic Action Council and the Housing and Local Government Ministry under the Public Housing Project (PPR), Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

Instead of the previous two rooms with one bathroom unit, the new low-cost homes will have three rooms and two bathrooms.

Abdullah said the decision by the cabinet on Wednesday to boost the construction of affordable housing was in line with the government’s effort to provide for the urban poor.

"This is our response to show that we will continue to build houses for the low-income group. This is proof that we work for the people.

"It also shows that the government not only talks but does what it says. It shows that the government cares for the people."

Abdullah was addressing about 10,000 residents of the Intan Baiduri PPR scheme in Kepong Utara here as part of his one-day working tour of the Federal Territory yesterday.

So far, 15,007 units have been built for sale while the remainder, which will be offered for rent, will be completed by the end of the year.

Other local authorities would soon be announcing their own plans under the public housing project, he said.

At present, thousands of former squatters or displaced residents live in public housing, paying RM124 a month in rent.

Abdullah said the government had also approved RM28 million for the maintenance of public housing in Kuala Lumpur, RM7 million for cleaning and RM6.5 million for lift maintenance.

He said even though the capital had grown in terms of development, more could be done to improve the city.

"Allocations have been given. The staff of City Hall must contribute by improving their services further," he said. Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the Federal Territories Ministry has allocated RM3.826 billion for 205 projects.

So far, 53 projects have been completed, 80 are in various stages of implementation and 72 are in the planning stage.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique said City Hall as the agency responsible for the sale of the housing units would invite and register those eligible to buy the units.

City Hall will announce, advertise and distribute the application forms.

Zulhasnan said that for existing one-room and two-room City Hall flats, a comprehensive study would be conducted on their suitability for today’s family sizes and recommendations would be made to the cabinet.

Abdullah also said that the feasibility of motorcycle lanes in Kuala Lumpur should be looked into.

He asked for the lanes to be incorporated into the five roads being built or upgraded in Cheras and Bandar Tun Razak, which cost a total of RM300 million.