The Penang State Government has decided to extend the 5% discount on house purchases to all buyers regardless of race or religion, after the original proposal limited to the Indian Muslim community sparked huge controversy.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced that the initiative will run for a year starting today, involving about 3,000 unsold property units under the Madani Home Ownership Campaign.
Only developers who are registered with the Penang State Housing Board and have listed the units as “unsold” under the National Property Information Centre (Napic) will be eligible to participate in the programme.
The original exclusive proposal was shelved just three days after it was announced, following the intervention of Penang DAP Chairman Steven Sim, who stated that he had discussed with the Chief Minister to review the implementation of the targeted discount.
Meanwhile, State Housing and Local Government Committee Chairman S. Sundarajoo stressed that the initiative does not involve any use of public funds.
Instead, it aims to encourage home ownership and reduce the backlog of unsold property units.
The state government's move not only embodies the principle of fairness in housing policy, but also sends a clear message that every citizen, regardless of background, deserves a fair chance to own a home.
