THE Penang government, through the state Housing Board, is currently reassessing the income limits for households applying to rent units under the People’s Housing Programme (PPR).
State Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu (PH-Perai) explained that this review aligns with the latest poverty line, which is RM 2,209 per month, based on a study conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
“We want to ensure that more needy groups are given equal opportunity to own a home that meets their needs. We are committed to ensuring Penangites can live in a comfortable environment.
“To take care of the people’s welfare, the state Housing Board is reviewing the regulations for PPR, affordable housing, and rental home applications.
“This review is to ensure the eligibility requirements are accessible to those in need,” he said when responding to a query from Phee Syn Tze (PH-Sungai Puyu) on whether the state will amend the eligibility requirements for PPR units during the State Legislative Assembly session today.
Phee also asked the state to provide a breakdown of PPR tenants in the Bagan parliamentary constituency, with household income below and above RM1,500.
Presently, Sundarajoo said the requirement to rent PPR units is a household income of not more than RM1,500 a month.
Alternatively, Sundarajoo announced a new PPR initiative in Kota Giam, Jelutong, which will include 500 units.
The application regulations for this initiative will allow youths aged 21 to 40, including singles, to apply. Applicants must be registered voters in Penang and have a household income below RM1,500 per month.
Sundarajoo emphasised the state’s commitment to providing better affordable housing options for the people.
According to Sundarajoo, there are currently 422 tenants in Bagan whose household income is below RM1,500 and 41 tenants with a household income exceeding RM1,500.
In a supplementary question, Kumaran Krishnan (PH-Bagan Dalam) requested the state Housing Board to conduct a study on whether they were accurately assessing income, as parking lots at PPRs in Penang were filled with imported cars that did not reflect the residents’ financial status.
In response, Sundarajoo replied: “If there is white colour, there is black colour. If there are good people, there are bad people.”
He explained, “In the application process, we require salary slips, EPF statements, and income tax documents to determine the applicants’ financial status.
“Successful applicants are usually given three years to stay in PPR units. By that time, we hope they will earn enough to either rent and own, or purchase their own properties. There are cases where applicants were poor before moving into PPR but were able to own cars before the three years had passed.”
Story by Edmund Lee