KUALA LUMPUR – The Federal Territories Ministry plans to build 5,000 more council or transit homes for rental in Kuala Lumpur to overcome the housing shortage problem faced by low-income city dwellers.
Its minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the original target set at 5,000 units within five years was feared to be insufficient due to the city’s high population, which is also expected to increase each year.
“The Housing and Local Government Ministry will also build homes for city folk, but the allocation is from the federal government, while the council homes will be built from Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) allocation and these will eventually belong to DBKL.
“I will forward this proposal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob,” he told the media after the groundbreaking ceremony for the building of DBKL staff quarters in Sentul today.
Before this, DBKL had identified six suitable locations for the building of 5,000 council homes including in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Jalan Siakap Cheras, and Taman Desa Seputeh, with the units’ minimum size set at 750 square metres, and the rent to be lower than the market rate.
In Sentul, council homes will be built to replace the original quarters which are old and no longer suitable for occupation, with 168 new units to be rented out to low-income DBKL staff and the construction expected to be completed by March 31, 2024. – Bernama, June 21, 2022
