ALOR SETAR: Kedah is ready to offer more high-rise housing options for urban poor residents as an alternative to address the issue of inadequate housing.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said this was because the state government faced constraints in land availability for housing developments in major towns in Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Kubang Pasu, and Kulim.
"We will search for suitable land to provide high-rise housing instead of housing estates that require large land areas... in urban areas, we have housing predominantly occupied by Malays living on riverbanks, road reserves, or government land.
"I have discussed with several district officers to provide residential lots, but I suggest building high-rise homes because if we build houses on land (in housing estates), it will not meet the demands of many," he said at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) session at Wisma Darul Aman, here, today.
He said this in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman (PN-Tokai) regarding the state's plans to provide housing for urban residents.
Further elaborating, Muhammad Sanusi said these major towns faced land shortages for housing due to the rapid growth of the industrial and development sectors.
"It is one of the pressures on the state government in providing housing for the people. So we need to instil the culture of settling in high-rise homes for the people, and we will also provide basic facilities.
"In the meantime, we strive to provide homes for urban poor residents. Malays do not need to leave the city when we offer high-rise homes, to achieve ethnic balance and harmony," he said.
He said the construction of high-rise homes was inevitable as Kedah's population continued to grow, besides limited land and the clash between housing, industrial, and agricultural interests.
"Among the federal policies, forest reserve land that is excised should be replaced but the replacement has not been made due to the absence of government land for approval.
"Another initiative, we decided to process land to be turned into planned villages so that the pressure on land needs is managed well and enjoyed by more people," he said.
Muhammad Sanusi said the Land and Mines Office (PTG) has detailed regulations to initiate collection of strata house taxes and it contributes to the state's new revenue.
"The river reserves need to be cleared in the coming years, new housing needs to be provided first before giving way to reserve clearance to prevent floods due to global climate change," he explained.
According to him, the total number of land ownership applications approved (2020-2023) is 803 plots, exceeding 326 hectares with a premium value reaching RM2.14 million.
"So far, land provided for housing totaling 930 lots is being processed by the district office," he said.