KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 982 of the 98,196 units of the People's Housing Programme (PPR) are allotted for ownership by Persons With Disabilities (PwDs), with 809 units or 82% taken, the Dewan Negara was told on Thursday (Aug 11).
Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Abd Muttalib said the number of housing units allotted for the PwDs was in line with the ministry's policy which sets 1% of all PPR units to be allocated to them.
"The ministry is responsible for providing quality, conducive and affordable housing for target groups, including the vulnerable, such as the PwDs.
"The National Affordable Housing Policy has outlined the need to provide a disabled-friendly home by applying Universal Design specification such as parking for PwDs, disabled-friendly lifts and disability access switches or plugs," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Negara on Thursday.
He said this in response to a question by Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi on the opportunity for PwDs to own a house and the number of disabled people who have received benefits through the housing scheme under the ministry.
Ismail also told the Senate that the ministry has introduced the Malaysian Housing Financing Initiative (i-Biaya) to increase the accessibility, especially of those in the B40 and M40 groups, including the PwDs, to obtain financing to own their first house under the Home Ownership Programme (Hope).
To a supplementary question from Ras Adiba on whether the government is prepared to amend related laws to ensure that all housing projects meet standards for the disabled, Ismail said the matter had been outlined in the National Housing Standard 2019.
"These specifications are still relevant for use in every housing development. For now, there is no need to amend them and the ministry is prepared to improve existing policies and guidelines to ensure that all groups, including the disabled, have the opportunity to house ownership.
"The ministry is also responsible in ensuring that developers and contractors comply with the conditions set through the Persons With Disabilities Act 2008 (Act 685) and the National Housing Standard 2019, and the local authorities will ensure that the requirements for the disabled persons are complied with in every planning," he added. - Bernama
