Ong: Plug abuse in registration

The Star 14/05/2004 BY FOONG PEK YEE

KUALA LUMPUR: All states have been given three months from yesterday to clear their low-cost housing register and device ways to plug abuse in the registration system.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the system, when implemented, should be able to verify information provided by applicants, like whether they or their spouses or next-of-kin already owned a house.

He said the immediate clearing of the register would include weeding out those who owned houses and core family members like spouses or next-of-kin of those who owned houses.

He added that the respective state governments must find ways to do this.

“Those in the register for more than five years must also be screened before being offered a low-cost house as there is a possibility that they have already bought a house,” Ong told reporters after chairing a National Housing Council meeting attended by representatives of all state governments here yesterday.

EXCHANGING IDEAS: Ong with Lokman (left) and Deputy Minister Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew discussing a point with two state representatives at the meeting in Kuala Lumpur Thursday.

He said that 378,250 people had registered in the states to buy low-cost houses between Jan 1, 1990 and yesterday.

They included 138,409 who had obtained offers to purchase low-cost units, 245,416 who were short-listed, 71,698 on the waiting list and 61,136 listed as not qualified.

“Those who do not qualify must be informed so that they will not continue to wait,” Ong said.

He said a working committee chaired by his ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Mohd Jasan and comprising representatives of all the states was set up during the meeting.

The panel was tasked with coming up with a centralised computerised registration system.

“It will enable the ministry to monitor the progress of low-cost housing nationwide and make plans to match demand and supply of the units,” Ong said, adding that a paper on this would be submitted to the Cabinet.

He said that only four states had their systems linked to the ministry.

He said the maximum family monthly income of RM1,500 would stay as one of the conditions to buy a low-cost house while the ministry came up with ways to consider those who earned more than that.

Ong said that expertise would be sought to determine points based on other factors like number of dependents and the consumer price index.