Restoring 351 'sick' housing projects among ministry's successes

A total of 351 sick and abandoned housing projects, with a gross development value of RM32.87 billion, have been completed and restored by the Local Government Development Ministry throughout one year of the Madani government's administration.

Based on the ministry’s 2023 Report Card, a total of 43,738 private housing units were involved, and successfully restored, by the Task Force on Sick and Abandoned Private Housing Projects as of Oct 31.

According to the report card, RM1 billion is allocated through Budget 2024, to encourage reputable developers to restore sick and abandoned private housing projects which have been identified.

In addition, a total of 110 lifts in low-cost strata public housing, around Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Johor, Selangor, Perak and Penang, have been repaired, and some replaced with new ones, which will benefit 22,648 residents.

The ministry has also allocated RM50 million for the maintenance and replacement of outdated lifts in the People's Housing Projects (PPR) and Public Housing, with all projects expected to be completed, in stages, starting this month.

The ministry, through PR1MA Corporation Malaysia (PR1MA), also completed 35,454 residential units nationwide, as of Oct 3, while as of June 30, a total of 261,901 affordable housing units were completed and in the construction phase, under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

The report card also mentioned that the ministry, through the Community Welfare Division, also rehabilitated 2,000 units of dilapidated houses in the cities and another 16 new housing units were built this year, under the division.

Other developments

In the meantime, its minister, Nga Kor Ming, in a video posted on his Facebook page, said his ministry also provided 3,209 MyKiosk units, involving an allocation of RM50 million, to improve the socioeconomics of hawkers and small traders.

He said the ministry also introduced the BMW (Bersih, Menawan dan Wangi) toilet initiative, with RM9.46 million approved, to repair and upgrade 153 public toilets nationwide this year.

He added that the ministry also allocated RM50 million for 433 projects to maintain and repair non-Muslim houses of worship across the country.

In terms of empowering the role of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, he said the ministry had launched the country's first special ambulance helicopter service, Emergency Air and Rescue Services, this year.

Apart from that, four new fire and rescue stations in Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Kedah and Sarawak have been built, while two more, in Negeri Sembilan and Sabah, have been upgraded, to meet the needs of the local community.

- Bernama

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