ISKANDAR PUTERI: Five developers have been blacklisted for failing to build affordable homes in Johor while 10 others are under scrutiny, says state executive councillor Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.
The housing and local government committee chairman said punitive action was taken against stubborn developers that failed to build Johor Affordable Housing Scheme (RMMJ) units in spite of discussions and warnings.
He said the Johor Affordable Housing Policy 2023 strictly states that every housing project spanning 2.02ha (5 acres) and above must allocate 40% for RMMJ units.
Projects covering 1.2ha to 2.02ha (3 acres to 5 acres) of land have to allocate 20% for RMMJ, he added.
“This policy is not a mere guideline but the main condition that must be complied with by every developer when presenting plans to agencies such as the local council.
“Project applications that fail to comply with the policy will not even be considered, let alone approved,” he told the state assembly at Kota Iskandar here on Friday (May 23).
He also told the assembly that some developers used “cunning tactics” by carving out projects into smaller parcels below 1.2ha to avoid allocating 40% of the area for affordable housing.
Jafni said the Johor Housing Development Corporation and agencies such as the Land and Mines Office and local councils had taken action such as stopping new project applications by developers that failed to build affordable homes.
Punitive action included placing a Registrar’s Caveat on land owned by the developer in question and also its subsidiaries and related companies that share the same board members, he added.
“Take note that these developers were not blacklisted (all of a sudden); discussions were held and they promised to build affordable homes but seemed to forget their promises after leaving the meetings," he said.
