The Johor government is committed to building 28,000 units of low-cost and affordable houses in the urban areas within the next five years to ensure that such areas are resided by people of all races and not dominated by one race.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said from the number, 20,000 units would be built in the Iskandar Malaysia development area and the other 18,000 units in other areas of the state at a cost of RM50,000 to RM150,000.

"The state government realises the high price of houses in Johor due to the price of land which has skyrocketed in some areas, creating an imbalance.

"As a result, it's very expensive to rent a house in an urban area for a big family, newly married couples and those who have just entered the working world."

Khaled said this in his speech at the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on low-cost and affordable housing development between Johor Corporation and the state government and an MoA between Johor Land Berhad and Institut Sultan Iskandar (ISI) on urban habitat and highrise development, here, Tuesday.

The first MoA was signed by Johor Corporation president and chief executive Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim and State Secretary Datuk Obet Tawil, on behalf of the state government.

For the other MoA, Johor Land Berhad was represented by its managing director Lukman Abu Bakar and ISI, by its executive director, Prof Dr Mohd Hamdan Ahmad.

Khaled said the construction of 3,638 affordable housing units within five years beginning this year by Johor Land Berhad proved that the state government was highly committed to providing houses for the ordinary people.

"We no longer want to hear various quarters blaming the government of only enabling a certain group of people to own houses in the town areas," he added.

Meanwhile, Khaled also warned developers to fulfil the quota of building 40 per cent affordable homes in new housing areas as stipulated in the National Housing Policy.

He said developers which failed to do so although they had already obtained the Development Order would be given a warning and notice, besides facing stern action.

To ensure the policy was adhered to, he said the Johor government had formed state-level and district-level special teams to identify the errant developers.