SEREMBAN, July 21 (Bernama) — Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) is optimistic about completing 3,000 People-Friendly Homes (RMR) by the end of September and ensure low-income individuals can afford to own houses.
SPNB non-executive chairman Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria said that as of June, it had issued all requisitions to the contractors and was only awaiting construction work to be completed within three months.
“There is a possibility that it might take longer to complete, like four or five months. We will assist them from time to time.
“If any of the contractors have a problem, they can meet our officers for discussion to ensure the people’s hope of owning their dream home will become a reality,” he told reporters after surveying the RMR site here today.
He also said that about 150 out of the 6,900 RMR units nationwide had been abandoned since last year as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, price hikes of building materials as well as problematic contractors failing to continue construction work.
He said that of the total, 60 of the abandoned units are in Negeri Sembilan, which the SPNB is focusing on resolving.
Mohd Nizar said some RMR units were also affected when they had to terminate the services of several contractors before hiring new ones.
He explained that the issue of price hikes of building materials that hit the whole country at the end of last year also resulted in contractors returning several requisitions to SPNB, thus, having an impact on applicants who had signed agreements during that period.
“The problem with the contractors is that sometimes we changed them five or six times… they do not want to do, so we keep changing until there is someone who can do it. We also discussed with the ministry about the price hikes of building materials and ways we can overcome it.
“Thankfully, the ministry helps us. For example, if previously we paid contractors twice until the project is completed, now we make three payments to help contractors facing financial problems,” he said.
He said so far there will be no increase in the value of the RMR as each unit of the house, which amounted to RM75,000, was set by the government.
“Providing ownership of comfortable affordable homes for the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) is the main agenda of SPNB through the concept of ‘Malaysia Berdaya Huni’,” he said.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
