Bar on sale of houses given to squatters

03/07/2006 New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Owners houses built under the People's Housing Project (PPR) will not be allowed to sell their property for 10 years after purchase, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said yesterday.

"They will not be allowed to sell for 10 years. We will ensure that they are genuine cases in need of houses. All their records will be kept by the local councils," he told reporters after opening the Pahang MCA annual convention at the Genting International Convention Centre here.

Houses under the PPR are allocated to those living in squatter areas at prices below market value.

This is one of the efforts taken by the Federal Government to provide affordable housing to the lower-income group towards eliminating squatter areas in the country.

Ong said the Federal Government would be footing the bill for building houses under the PPR.

"The Federal Government will first build rising its own funds. When the owners buy these houses, the money will be put into a revolving fund, which will be used to build PPR houses in other localities.

"The Housing and Local Government Ministry would not be involved in the selection of potential owners of PPR houses, which would be left to the respective local councils.

"We are still working on the mechanism ... once the houses are completed they will be handed over to the local councils or the State Government.

"We will not pave a Bay on who gets the houses and who does not," he said. - Bernama