Johor on track to achieve 30,000 affordable homes target, Appoint dedicated company to maintain lifts in PPRs, says Kepong MP and more
6th February – 13th February
The state government of Johor is on track to achieve its plan of delivering 30,000 affordable housing units by 2026, said Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, Chairman of the Housing and Local Government Committee.
Meanwhile, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng urged the government to appoint a dedicated firm or contractor of high quality that would be responsible for the maintenance of infrastructure such as lifts within government-owned buildings, particularly People’s Housing Programme (PPR) developments.
1. Johor on track to achieve 30,000 affordable homes target
The state government of Johor is on track to achieve its plan of delivering 30,000 affordable housing units by 2026, said Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, Chairman of the Housing and Local Government Committee.
He revealed that the state managed to build about 13,000 affordable homes over the last two years, reported The Star.
For this year, the state targets to provide 5,000 additional units, with the rest of the affordable homes to be built within the next two years.
“Some of the ongoing projects are Residensi Iskandar Puteri, which is priced around RM150,000 for B40 families with about 2,000 units on offer,” said Mohd Jafni.
The next People’s Housing Programme (PPR) project to be introduced this year is PPR Bandar Tenggara, while PPR Pengerang is expected to be launched in April, he said.
“However, the details are still with the Local Government Ministry (KPKT) and we are waiting for the official handover to the state government,” added Mohd Jafni.
2. Appoint dedicated company to maintain lifts in PPRs, says Kepong MP
Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng urged the government to appoint a dedicated firm or contractor of high quality that would be responsible for the maintenance of infrastructure such as lifts within government-owned buildings, particularly People’s Housing Programme (PPR) developments, reported The Star.
“We commonly hear about PPR lifts breaking down all around the country and in many cases, it is the lack of spare parts that causes down time…So why has the availability of spare parts to repair lifts not been made a priority?”
“It makes sense to have a company that is able to maintain the lifts to a high standard,” said Lim after announcing the replacement of lifts at Pekan Kepong PPR.
Notably, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) allocated RM4.7 million for the replacement of all nine lifts there, with the replacement works set to be completed by May 2025.
With faulty lifts a daily problem, residents within the three housing blocks lived with fear of lifts breaking down over the last three years, said Mohd Hizam Yeop Omar, Chairman of Pekan Kepong PPR Residents Committee.
3. Melaka to investigate buyers’ complaints of not receiving quality condos
The Melaka government, via the Melaka Housing Board (LPM), is set to conduct a detailed investigation into allegations that condominium buyers in Bukit Serindit did not receive quality homes as promised in their sales and purchase (S&P) agreements.
State Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Rais Yasin revealed plans to meet with the project developer to address the buyers’ concerns, reported Bernama.
“The state government will not take a careless attitude towards this issue and we will deal with the buyer’s complaints immediately…so give me time to go down and see the situation and discuss with the developer,” said Rais.
With the project still within the “defect liability” period, the developer must take responsibility for any defects found at the homes.
It was previously reported that almost 700 condominium buyers have expressed disappointment over the defects found at their homes, which include slanted pipes, uneven ceilings and locked windows. Units at the condominium project were priced at over RM250,000.
4. Middle-income earners seek homes in more locations
Middle-income earners in Johor are seeking homes that cater to a variety of budgets, advocating for projects across different districts.
“Although Johor Bahru is an attractive location for housing development due to its proximity to Singapore and various amenities, it is already quite packed,” said Raden Mohammad Azwan Naharudin, a 32-year old private hospital staff.
He noted that districts such as Skudai, Kulai and Pasir Gudang have the necessary infrastructure to support residential projects, reported The Star.
Puteri Nuraliah Natasha Raja Zafri, a 28-year old graphic designer, suggested looking into the northern part of Pasir Guday, namely Ulu Tiram and Tebrau.
“If we want to focus on mobility, Pasir Gudang is the second-best option, as we can go to Singapore via the Senai-Desaru Expressway and Second Link,” she said.
She noted that the government could foster inclusive and sustainable development by expanding housing projects to other districts.
Both Nuraliah and Raden welcomed an agreement signed by the Johor government to develop homes for middle-income (M40) earners, who were usually sidelined when it comes to home ownership.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi revealed that over 3,700 affordable housing units will be offered to the M40 group within Iskandar Puteri.
5. Kulim to evolve into a smart city
Kulim, situated in southeast Kedang, bordering Penang, is poised to transform into a smart city, with Kulim Municipal Council (MPKK) and HeiTech Padu Bhd (HTP) having formed a strategic collaboration to drive the district’s development.
MPKK Chairman Datuk Elmi Yusoff expects various changes in Kulim in five years, although achieving full smart city status may take about 10 to 15 years, reported the New Straits Times.
Kulim is among the five cities identified in smart city pilot projects, with others including Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.
The city will implement the seven main components in the smart city framework – namely, smart economy, smart environment, smart living, smart government, smart population, smart digital infrastructure, and smart mobility.
Smart living, for instance, focuses on housing development to enhance the residents’ health and well-being.
While it does not have its own railway station or airport, Kulim remains accessible, with the nearest airport being Penang’s Bayan Lepas International Airport and the closest train station located in Bukit Mertajam.
Meanwhile, Kulim Hi-Tech Park remained as the state’s investment magnet, with accumulated investment by 43 industries at RM134.1 billion.
