The Penang state government is considering broadening its recently introduced 5% housing discount—initially designated for Indian Muslim first-time homebuyers—to include all communities. This potential policy shift reflects efforts to revitalise the property market and address the issue of unsold residential units across the state.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow confirmed the possibility of extending the initiative following public feedback suggesting that a more inclusive approach could generate broader economic and social benefits. He has tasked state executive councillor for housing and environment, S Sundarajoo, with collaborating with private developers to evaluate and refine the discount mechanism.
Chow stated that the goal is to create a policy that benefits all segments of society, aligning with the state’s commitment to social justice. “This would make the initiative more inclusive and beneficial to all segments of society, in line with the principles of social justice,” he said, adding that the matter will be deliberated in detail by the state executive council before a final decision is made.
The original announcement, made on Thursday by Sundarajoo, proposed that private developers voluntarily offer a 5% discount to Indian Muslim first-time homebuyers for a period of one year as part of a targeted housing campaign. The move was framed as an effort to enhance homeownership among communities with historically lower participation in the open housing market.
However, the initiative attracted criticism from human rights lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, who described it as discriminatory and unconstitutional. In response, Sundarajoo maintained that the discount did not infringe upon the rights of other communities, emphasising that it was a form of corporate social responsibility rather than a state-funded programme.
He clarified that the scheme was intended solely to encourage greater inclusivity in homeownership through the voluntary cooperation of private developers, without any financial outlay from the state government.
-Free Malaysia Today
