Felcra Berhad aims to build 3,000 RBN houses by 2020 - Ismail Sabri

Felcra Berhad has aimed to construct 3,000 units of Rumah Bina Negara (Rumah BN) nationwide by 2020 to cater the needs for young people in the rural areas to own houses.

Rural and Regional Development Ministry Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said a total of 870 houses had been completed while 1,183 units had been approved for construction at eight locations, namely Tembangau in Pahang, Sukau in Sabah and Keruak in Terengganu.

"Some 140 units of Rumah Bina Negara are being constructed in Felcra Sri Makmur and expected to complete in January," he told reporters after launching the Rumah BN project at Felcra Sri Makmur near here today.

Also present were Felcra Berhad chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and Pahang Rural Development, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Shafik Fauzan Sharif.

However, Ismail Sabri said the target was subject to the government's budget in the following year.

"The government has allocated RM100 million to Felcra for the project in the 2017 Budget. Such an allocation is expected to build 2,000 unit of houses next year.

"Perhaps, if there's more allocation in the following year, I think we can achieve more than this target," he said.

Ismail Sabri also said the units came with three bedrooms and two bathrooms with a built up of 5,000 sq ft each at RM75,000 per unit or by monthly installments not exceeding RM500 for 30 years.

"One thing that is good about this project is that the young people can own homes with a piece of land at a lower price compared to market rate.

"We found out that more than 20 per cent of the young people in the rural areas are married but they don't own homes. Some of them are still living with their parents," he said.

The minister said the affordable homes were now opened to the second generation of rural area people with priority given to the children of Felcra participants.

Earlier in his speech, Ismail Sabri said the market value of the house was worth over RM100,000 but Felcra Berhad decided to absorb the difference via government subsidy.

-- BERNAMA