Council sets 'one family, one home' target, says Housing Minister

PUTRAJAYA: The National Affordable Housing Council agreed on Thursday (Feb 10) to set a target of "One Family, One Home" in its mission to provide affordable housing in the country, says Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

The Housing and Local Government Minister said the target coincided with the ministry's mission - actively pursuing the Home Ownership Programme (HOPE) agenda by looking at the housing ecosystem holistically, namely availability, affordability, accessibility, quality, and liveability.

He said the council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob Thursday, had looked at affordable housing and decided on a new directional framework, strategy, and synergy of all parties.

Reezal Merican added that the ministry was currently developing housing mapping to enable the provision of affordable housing to be adapted to the capabilities of the locality.

"Being affordable in Kuala Lumpur is not necessarily affordable in Kinabatangan. The same goes for Ipoh and Gerik. There is a difference in ability and this will be emphasised by the government,” he said about the council meeting in a post on his Facebook account.

The National Affordable Housing Council, which was reactivated at a Cabinet meeting on Nov 19, 2021, serves as a platform to discuss and coordinate the direction of planning, coordination, and monitoring for the provision of affordable housing nationwide.

Reezal Merican said Thursday's meeting also discussed issues regarding the planning, coordination, and provision of 500,000 affordable homes targeted in the 12th Malaysia Plan.

The meeting also touched on the direction of social housing implemented by the government and the private sector; discussing and coordinating issues regarding affordable housing and new concept proposals; as well as discussing and suggesting improvements on home ownership issues, especially the financing aspect. - Bernama