KUALA LUMPUR, August 29 - The Ministry of Federal Territories and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) have been ordered to expedite the MADANI housing blocks matter for every new project.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised that this is to ensure that low-income groups can own affordable houses.

He also set a condition that the construction of housing projects have to include living comfort, green areas, recreational facilities, and amenities for the people, including MADANI stalls.

“If approvals are delayed, the cost of housing will be higher. If there are more commissions, the company will not suffer loss but want to make profit. The cost of corruption, the cost of the bank, all of this will burden the buyer. The country will not progress if this is the case, the people will not be protected,” he said.

He explained this during his speech at the Inauguration and Ground Breaking Ceremony of Suria MADANI Residency in Taman Desa.

A total of 800 units of MADANI Residency will be constructed by the developer Mah Sing Group Berhad with an area of 800 square feet that will be sold at a price of RM200,000.

Also present were the Minister in the Prime Minister Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming, and Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.

Elaborating further, he wants every project progress to be presented regularly to the Ministry of Federal Territories and DBKL.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also dismissed objections from the elite groups against the construction of affordable housing.

He said the people should unite and take the lesson from Independence and not marginalise the low-income group.

“Everytime we develop housing for people, there are always objections.

“My friends send messages to maintain cleanliness and comfort for high-income friends to build houses.

"Then where are the low-income groups going to live? Good areas are only occupied by the rich," he said.

He further emphasised that the measure of greatness of a city is dependent on the government’s ability to care and protect the needs of its people as a whole, regardless of their level and economic status.