ISKANDAR PUTERI (Jan 9): The Johor government is aiming to build 13,000 units of affordable homes this year, endeavouring to hit the target of 60,000 units in 2020.

"So far, we have built 16,010 affordable homes throughout the state. So, this is a continuation of our target besides resolving the issue of unsold houses.

"Other challenges that we face are providing homes to the medium income group where in the previous budget we planned to build 10,000 units this year at a price of between RM200,000 and RM400,000 besides the challenges faced by developers regarding the high cost of building materials" Bernama reported Johor State Exco for Housing and Local Government Datuk Md Jais Sarday as saying.

He also said that the state government wants to resolve the issue of unsold units for the bumiputera quota.

Md Jais revealed that the state government had adopted the approach of proposing the release of the bumiputera quota on condition that the units were not sold within 12 months of the completion date or 50% of the development had been completed, Bernama reported.

He was speaking to the media after attending an event with civil servants from the Housing Division in the State Secretariat and the Local Government Division for 2018.