Government urged to extend stamp duty exemptions to secondary market, 22 PR1MA projects, including 13 ‘sick’ ones, currently under construction and more
13th June – 19th June
The National House Buyers Association (HBA) has urged the government to extend its i-Miliki home ownership scheme beyond the primary market to allow more Malaysians to benefit from the initiative.
Meanwhile, Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said 22 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) are presently under construction, of which 13 are considered ‘sick’ projects.
1. Government urged to extend stamp duty exemptions to secondary market
The National House Buyers Association (HBA) has urged the government to extend its i-Miliki home ownership scheme beyond the primary market to allow more Malaysians to benefit from the initiative.
Under the scheme, first-time buyers enjoy full stamp duty exemption for homes costing below RM500,000. Those acquiring units costing RM500,000 to RM1 million benefit from 75% waiver of stamp duty, reported Free Malaysia Today.
HBA Secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said the scheme should be extended to buyers in the secondary market, which would help the government achieve its goal of 100% home ownership.
A 2022 National Property Information Centre (NAPIC) report showed that resale homes accounted for 86.2% (335,409 units) of the total residential property transactions, while sales in the primary market made up the remaining 13.8% (53,698 units).
Instead of granting stamp duty exemptions, the government should take measures to ensure developers reduce prices to make homes affordable, suggested Chang.
2. 22 PR1MA projects, including 13 ‘sick’ ones, currently under construction
Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said 22 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) are presently under construction.
Of these, 13 are considered ‘sick’ projects, he said.
“We (ministry) are making sure that every PR1MA project that is ‘sick’ will be completed by the end of 2024,” said Akmal Nasrullah as quoted by Bernama.
The minister shared that 54 PR1MA projects have been fully completed and another 10 projects are still in the planning stage.
Of the 54 projects completed, two have “received Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC), but are still in the process of inspecting the defects before the units are handed over to the buyers”.
He added that four more projects are also in the process of handing over the keys.
On the number of PR1MA projects still under construction in each state, the minister said there are five in Sabah, three in Malacca, two each in Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Pahang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, and one each in Kedah as well as the Federal Territories.
3. 11,500 serviced apartments in Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri remains unsold
Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, Johor’s Housing and Local Government Committee Chairman, revealed that 11,512 service apartment units costing RM500,000 or above, around Johor Bahru and Iskandar Puteri are yet to be sold.
Nonetheless, the developers of such units have been getting positive feedback from foreign buyers, particularly those from Singapore where home prices are reportedly among the most expensive within Asia Pacific this year.
He reassured locals that foreigners, under Johor’s housing policy, can only acquire properties that are worth at least RM1 million, reported Bernama.
Mohd Jafni shared that 50 developers are expected to participate in the upcoming Johor Housing Expo, helping clear the state’s overhang of unsold built homes.
He added that the state will build 1,000 Rumah Transit Bangsa Johor (RTBJ) units over the next five years, following the overwhelming response seen at the RTBJ pilot project at Taman Kempas Utama.
Under the RTBJ (rent-to-own) programme, individuals can rent a unit for RM650 per month, of which RM460 is deducted as the monthly rental and the remaining RM190 is saved for five years to be used as a deposit to purchase a new home.
4. Limited budget hinders MCs, JMBs from demolishing illegal flat extensions
Management committees (MC) or joint management bodies (JMB) of low-cost flats are reluctant to take action against homeowners who have made illegal extensions and renovations at their units.
The MCs or JMBs explained that their limited budget is hindering them from tearing down such structures, reported The Star.
“We hardly have the budget to pay for electricity bills, what more demolishing these structures,” said KC Yip, MC Chairman at Skudai, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah flats Block 63-66.
“Taking such action will also upset the homeowners involved…Some may also take the matter to court and that will complicate things further,” he added.
Lim Kok Thye, whose company manages nine privately-owned flats in Johor, pointed that MCs should not be afraid to demolish structures since they have the right to do so.
“They should not wait for local councils to take action,” he said.
However, he advised MCs to give unit owners six months to remove the illegal extensions and renovations, before taking any action.
They should also get the support of local authorities since undertaking such action may lead to resistance among the culprits.
5. KPKT allocated RM42.26 million for repair, construction of houses in urban areas
Local Government Development (KPKT) Minister Nga Kor Ming announced an RM42.26 million allocation for the construction of new homes and repair of existing homes in urban areas.
Of this, RM40.26 million is allocated for house repair works, benefitting 2,534 households from the B40 group as well as the hardcore poor. The remaining RM2 million is set aside from the construction of new homes, reported Bernama.
“This is to help those in the B40 group who live in urban areas repair or rebuild their dilapidated or damaged homes as a result of fires, natural disasters or hardcore poverty,” he said after officiating the Urban Community Sustainability Programme (PKKB).
Nga explained that RM2 million of the allocation will be given to 133 recipients in Perak via their respective local authorities, with each household getting up to RM15,000 for house repair works.
He shared that KPKT has also allocated RM4.5 million for PKKB’s implementation.
Nga said his ministry is always committed to improving the standard of living and socio-economic status of the people, particularly the low-income earners living in urban areas.
6. Government allocated RM24 million for construction of landed PPR homes in Jempol
The government has set aside RM24 million for the construction of a public housing project (PPR), featuring 100 terrace housing units, in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan.
According to KPKT Minister Nga Kor Ming, the PPR homes will be developed on a 3.5ha state-owned site within Kampung Datuk Johan.
The state government of Negeri Sembilan gave the land to the ministry for free, reported Free Malaysia Today citing Berita Harian.
“Preliminary works will start soon, and construction is expected to commence early next year. We hope this PPR will fulfil the needs of residents who require affordable housing,” said Nga.
The affordable terrace homes met the residents’ request for landed property instead of high-rise projects, said the minister.
He added that KPKT also allocated RM7.04 million for the maintenance and construction of various public infrastructure within the district, RM1 million for the repair of Taman Bahau Indah flats, as well as RM2.98 million for the construction of a new fire station at Felda Palong Enam.
