Don't rent out affordable homes to turn a profit - Tengku Adnan

Owners of affordable homes have been advised not to rent out their units to others, especially to foreigners, just for the sake of turning a profit.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said this was because all affordable housing projects were the government's effort to provide comfortable and conducive living environment to first time-time home buyers.

He said the results of a recent dialogue between the ministry and the 1Malaysia People's Housing (PR1MA) developer revealed that 40 out of 540 units of PR1MA houses were rented out and the owners were found staying in other houses they could rent at lower rates.

"The houses are for Malaysians and not to be rented out to Nepali, Bangladeshi or any other individuals," he said at the launch and drawing of lots for the Federal Territories Affordable Housing (Rumawip) Casa Green@Bukit Jalil Project, Friday.

The Casa Green@Bukit Jalil project, developed by Amber Homes Sdn Bhd, offers 490 units of three-bedroom affordable houses priced at RM300,000 each, which is below the market price of between RM450,000 and RM500,000.

Meanwhile, at a separate event, Tengku Adnan said the Federal Territories Foundation had donated RM130,000 for the organising of Nur Ramadan Programme in all 13 parliamentary constituencies in the federal territories.

Each constituency would receive RM10,000 to upgrade the basic facilities at the mosque or surau chosen as the venue for the programme, he said.

The Nur Ramadan Programme, which began in 2009, is the ministry's annual programme which aimed at empowering the interaction between the government and the public.

At the programme in Precinct 16, 800 individuals, comprising orphans, senior citizens, single mothers and disabled persons, received cash donation of RM150 each from the ministry and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council.