Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that it will be mandatory for housing projects in Kuala Lumpur to include the construction of affordable homes or People’s Housing Projects (PPR).
The announcement was made to address the current shortage of affordable housing and cater to the needs of the underprivileged. He also emphasized that the government’s objective of providing more affordable housing options for the people had not been accomplished.
The prime minister highlighted the pressing issue of housing in the capital city, revealing that they receive approximately 3,000 applications for affordable housing or PPR annually, while Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) can only offer 300 units per year.
In order to rectify this situation, he said, “We have recently instituted changes during a meeting I chaired two months ago, stating that no housing project in Kuala Lumpur will be approved if it does not incorporate affordable housing units or PPR within the same development.”
During the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar addressed concerns raised by Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang-PH) regarding the strict criteria for renting a DBKL PPR unit. “I have instructed DBKL to make necessary adjustments to the stringent conditions imposed on PPR applications,” he reassured.
In response to a supplementary question from Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (Langkawi-PN) regarding potential overlap among different housing agencies, Anwar disclosed that the government had formed a cabinet committee responsible for streamlining these agencies. This committee operates under the guidance of the two deputy prime ministers, ensuring that housing programs for the people are well-coordinated and prevent duplications.
Anwar highlighted the previous tendency to establish new agencies whenever a problem arose, resulting in redundancy. The consolidation of these agencies aims to optimize their efforts toward achieving efficient and effective housing initiatives. The People’s Housing Project was developed by the National Housing Department in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
