Govt-built houses can't be sold for 10 years

The Star 3/7/2006

GENTING HIGHLANDS: Houseowners under the People’s Housing Project (PPR) cannot sell their units in the first 10 years of their purchase, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting.

“They (the owners) are relocated residents from squatter areas and the prices of these houses are much lower than market value,” he said.

He said the Government would ensure that only those who met its criteria would be allowed to buy the units, and that all records would be kept by the local councils.

He was speaking to reporters yesterday after Pahang MCA’s annual general meeting here.

Ong said the Government would build the houses first using its own funds. When the buyers pay for the houses, the money would be put into a revolving fund to build PPR houses in other localities.

He said that local councils would be tasked with selecting potential owners for these houses.

“Once completed, the houses will be handed over to the local councils or the state government. We will not have any say on who gets
the houses.”

PPR is a Federal Government project to provide affordable housing to the lower income group as well as to eradicate squatter areas in the country.

It was earlier reported that the offer price of RM35,000 per unit was low as the actual cost was twice the selling price.