NUSAJAYA: Developers undertaking the 1Malaysia Peoples Housing (PR1MA) projects are not exempted from the state’s mandatory requirement for developers to build affordable units under the Johor Affordable Homes programme.
State Housing and Local Government committee chairman Datuk Abdul Latif Bandi said that developers were subjected to both the PR1MA Act 2012 as well as the state housing policies to plan and construct houses at an affordable price.
Although they are developing affordable units for PR1MA, they still have to fulfil the requirement to build a certain percentage of houses under the Johor Affordable Homes programme, he said during the state assembly sitting last Thursday.
He said this in reply to a question posed by Suhaimi Salleh (BN-Kukup) on whether PR1MA housing developers were subjected to state housing policies.
Abdul Latif, however, clarified that the commitment to construct affordable homes depended on the zoning status of the developing areas.
If the project is in the commercial and industrial zone, the developer does not have to build affordable homes, he said, adding that three PR1MA projects have been approved in the state.
He said that two of the projects in Bandar Layangkasa in Pasir Gudang have been undertaken by Cahaya Bumimas Sdn Bhd while another project would be developed by Tentu Canggih Sdn Bhd in Plentong.
For the first phase of the PR1MA project in Bandar Layangkasa, the developer has started construction of 475 houses while another 1,995 units will be developed in its second phase, and expected to be completed next year.
The same company is also involved in constructing 1,225 houses and 159 medium-low cost shophouses under the programme in the same area, he added.
Abdul Latif said that Tentu Canggih would be developing 1,284 houses under PR1MA in Plentong but was not subjected to build houses under the programme due to the zoning area.
Source: StarProperty.com