By Yasmin Ramlan
SHAH ALAM, Nov 17 — It would be unfair to those on the waiting list for the state’s housing rental programme if available units are instead allocated to flood victims for temporary accommodation, said state executive councillor for housing and culture Borhan Aman Shah.
This is particularly the case as applicants for the Smart Rental Scheme already have to go through a lengthy and complicated process before receiving their units.
“It is not suitable (for the units to be given out) for emergency purposes as these units are already occupied, not to mention the existing waiting list,” he said in his winding-up speech for the 2024 Selangor Budget at the State Legislative Assembly session today.
This is in response to a proposal from Kajang assemblyman Cheong Kian Young, who suggested the state government assist flood victims in Sungai Langat by accommodating them in units under the Smart Rental Scheme.
The initiative provides an opportunity for low and medium-income groups who cannot afford Rumah Selangorku houses to own their own homes via a rental plan.
Later, when speaking to Selangor Journal, Borhan said applicants typically need to wait one to two years before they are given a unit to rent.
“Additionally, under the scheme, if a unit remains occupied by a tenant for over three years, 30 per cent of the rental payment will be considered as a house deposit.
“As such, it is not suitable to turn these accommodations into a lodging house,” he said.
Nonetheless, Borhan commended Cheong’s recommendation to help lessen flood victims’ burden, adding that he will extend the matter to state executive councillor for disaster management Najwan Halimi.
Meanwhile, he said the Selangor Housing and Property Board aims to develop nearly 3,000 housing units across the state by 2026, with about half of them under the Smart Rental Scheme initiative.
At present, 113,318 Rumah Selangorku applicants are on the wait list, which Borhan said is the total number of applications still actively registered in the Selangor Property Application System, which have not yet been offered to buyers.
“That amount is still low compared to the number of Rumah Selangorku units approved by the state government, which is 180,000 units,” he said.
