'Unqualified' low-cost home-owners told to return units

The Selangor government has directed that all owners of low-cost homes who are not qualified to possess the units should return them to the state.

“This is to ensure that the distribution of low-cost homes is carried out fairly and transparently,” said Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim ( right ) in a statement issued by his office.

The statement follows a report by English-language daily theSun on Friday that revealed that senior officials of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) were among 500 council staff members who, between 2000 and 2005, were allocated low-cost homes.

This is despite state government guidelines that only those with a combined family income of less than RM2,500 a month can apply for the units, said the report.

Khalid explained that since Jan 7, 1998, the allocation of low-cost units in Selangor had been divided proportionately between applicants whose names were obtained from the then state government’s ' Sistem Pendaftaran Terbuka Berpusat Rumah Kos Rendah ' (Centralised Low-Cost Houses Open Registration System, SPTRKR) and those who were vetted by the Jawatankuasa  Tanah Daerah (District Land Committee, JKTD).  

“Because of this, the Lembaga Perumahan dan Hartanah Selangor (Selangor Housing and Property Board, LPHS) was unable to regulate the allocation of names of buyers of low-cost flats at that time and the sale (of units) to those who were unqualified,” Khalid added.

The incidence of low-cost flat purchases by unqualified persons in MBPJ, in particular, had been occurring from before 1998, Khalid noted, and this was as a result of lack of clarity in the authorities’ policies on the matter.

(In a statement, MBPJ had said developers offered excess units in eight low-cost housing schemes - on private lands - to its management team from year 2000.)

New regulations had been introduced by the Pakatan Rakyat-led government whereby only those whose names are on the list of LPHS’ Home Applicants Registration System can apply to purchase low-cost homes in the state, said Khalid.

“The state government hopes there would be no more confusion over this issue...

"LPHS has set stringent conditions, among which is that the (combined) income of a husband and wife cannot exceed RM2,500 a month, cannot exceed RM5,000 for sub-sale purchases and (the purchaser) must not have a house (elsewhere) in the state."

Names to be published

In another statement, Selangor exco in charge of housing, building management and squatters Iskandar Abdul Samad ( right ) said the state government will consider publishing on the Internet the names of those whose applications to purchase low-cost homes had been approved.

The list of approved house-buyers would be carried on the website of LBHS for a set period of two weeks for the public to scrutinise.

“It is hoped that with this proposal, only those eligible will be able to buy. There is a shortage of low-cost houses in prime areas like Ampang and Petaling Jaya. Therefore, any abuse must be prevented so that the needy will not be left out.

“Publishing the names will deter any fraud or abuse. If approved by the (other) excos, this proposal will be implemented by the 1st of July,” said Iskandar.