NIBONG TEBAL: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is aiming to find a mechanism which will enable the additional income earned by low-wage earners to be used for the purchase of homes.
Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said this today, explaining that her team was in discussions with several parties towards this end, and this included looking at how the earnings of drivers of e-hailing provider Grab, could be entered into a system for the same purpose.
She advised low-income earners (also known as the B40 income group) who were involved in additional livelihood opportunities such as e-hailing driving and online businesses, to save their earnings and use it on the purchase of homes “so they can become asset owners”.
Speaking to reporters after launching the sale of affordable houses constructed by JKP Sdn Bhd in Taman Ilmu here, Zuraida said that according to information from Grab, its consistent drivers were able to earn significantly high incomes.
The minister also welcomed the efforts of developers from both the government and private sectors, as well as government-linked companies, to construct affordable homes for low-income Malaysians, as these efforts would contribute towards the ministry’s aim to have one million affordable houses built within 10 years.
She added that JKP Sdn Bhd, an agency under the Finance Ministry which was responsible for the construction of affordable homes in Penang for Bumiputeras, was the only such agency throughout the country, with the Minister going on to say that the need for the establishment of similar agencies in other states throughout the country, could be looked at.
Zuraida also called on developers to focus more of their projects in Seberang Perai, given that Penang island had a high density of development.
On another matter concerning the status upgrade of the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) to a city council, she said the official ceremony for the same is scheduled to be held on Sept 16, with announcements on the matter to be made later. – Bernama
