Kuala lumpur: Improvements to the governance of strata building management, the reintroduction of the Home Ownership Campaign (HOC), and the provision of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure are among initiatives proposed by stakeholders to the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) for consideration in Budget 2027.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming stated that the proposals were put forward during KPKT's Budget 2027 Engagement Session, which brought together 350 stakeholders from various sectors to gather views and input in formulating initiatives that are more responsive to the needs of the people. Nga emphasized that all proposals would be assessed based on feasibility, priorities, and the government's current financial capacity.

Nga noted that the review of proposals is crucial to ensure that every ringgit allocated is spent prudently and translated into tangible outcomes and benefits for the people. Stakeholders also proposed the establishment of a command center to support the smart city agenda, incentives to increase recycling rates, and green financing mechanisms to encourage investment in waste management technologies and solutions.

Additional proposals included increasing annual grants for Volunteer Fire Brigades, providing healthcare facilities to address the challenges of an ageing society, and upgrading urban infrastructure to support safe city initiatives. Nga mentioned that KPKT would hold a discussion with the Finance Ministry (MOF) on September 3 to consider which proposed initiatives could be put forward for MOF's consideration.

Meanwhile, Nga reported that five of the six significant initiatives under this year's Budget Initiatives had exceeded their targets, with another on track to meet or exceed its target by the end of the year. As of July 31, a total of 304 maintenance projects for non-Muslim houses of worship had been implemented against a target of 200, and 102 construction and upgrading projects for dilapidated public markets had been completed against a target of 60.

For drainage and drain system upgrades, 154 projects had been implemented against a target of 150, while public toilet maintenance in Local Authority areas recorded a 734 percent achievement rate, with 367 projects completed against a target of 50. The Fire and Community program achieved 89 percent, with 57 out of 64 programs implemented as of July 31.