An additional 300 houses under the Housing Programme for the Very Poor (PPRT) will be built throughout the country this year, bringing the total to 1,800, said Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun.

She said this number over and above the original target of 1,500 was made possible with the use of the Industrialised Building System (IBS) technology.

"Although the allocations received are slightly more than that in 2018, the ministry is always proactive and innovative by providing houses using the IBS technology but without affecting the quality and size of the houses," she said.

She was speaking to reporters after handing over appointment letters to Village Community Management Council members at the Rural Community Centre in Bandar al-Muktafi Billah Shah.

The Government was continuing with the programme to repair 10,000 PPRT houses this year, she said.

Meanwhile, Rina urged Bank Negara Malaysia to relax the conditions for rural youths to apply for housing loans.