Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin called for the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to reaffirm its original role of helping bumiputera entrepreneurs in the urban areas.   

Muhyiddin said one matter UDA should look at again was identifying the cause for and resolving the high shophouse rental bumiputera entrepreneurs had to bear in the major cities.

"I agree with the proposal that UDA can revisit its original function and role, especially in the urban areas where rental is high," he said when speaking at the Aidilfitri open house of the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMM) in Kuala Lumpur today.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri and DPMM president Syed Ali Alattas.

Muhyiddin also said that DPMM should work with the government to develop housing for the people to ensure that the global economic slowdown did not have a negative impact on the country's economy.

He said the government welcomed the DPMM target to develop medium-cost housing as the measure was in line with the BN election manifesto to make available one million affordable houses.

The government was committed to expediting the development of affordable homes to reduce the burden the people had to bear owing to the current high prices of houses.

Prices of houses too high

"Among the pressing matters now is that the prices of houses developed by the private sector are too high, and have been the subject of discontent because the prices are not only in the hundreds of thousands of ringgit but have reached a million ringgit.

NONE "Bumiputeras living in the cities or outskirts feel pressured by these high prices of houses. They cannot afford to buy these houses and when forced to rent, the rental is also very high," he said.

Muhyiddin said such circumstances forced the government to take immediate steps, such as instructing departments or ministries which had idle land to hand these over to the 1Malaysia People's Housing Project for the development of affordable houses.

"So, the time has come for Malay economic entities such as DPMM to forge strategic cooperation with the government to implement development projects which benefit the people," he said.

  At the event, Muhyiddin launched the development of Taman Perdana Utama, an affordable housing project of 264 units that would be developed by DPMM in Uda Utama, Johor Bahru.

- Bernama