Re: The Epic
Welcome to Iskandar - the Harlem of johore
To build or not to build
THE property market in Iskandar Malaysia is rather hot these days. However the issues plaguing the property market are even hotter.
In the past two years, both foreign investors as well as developers from other states are joining the bandwagon, hoping to have a share of the ever growing property pie and rake in quick gains.
Unfortunately, most investors and developers, if not all, only care about their return on investment and are not bothered about what has been enshrined in the Johor State Housing Policy.
According to the policy, it is clearly stated that developers are required to build affordable and low-cost houses based on the size of the land.
For every 2.02 hectares, 20 per cent of the land must be used to build affordable and low cost houses.
For land size bigger than 2.02 hectares, at least 40 per cent of the land should be reserved for the same purpose.
Using these as guidelines, one can roughly figure out how many property developers in Iskandar Malaysia, especially those concentrating on up market units, are willing to bend on this policy.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin certainly welcomes investors into the economic region.
At the same time, he also expects those investors to follow the rules of the game.
Lately, he has been talking about punitive measures against developers who failed to abide by the ruling, such as by freezing their projects, or even seizing the approved land for the project.
Khaled has to be firm, as he has to take care of the interests of those people who have been complaining about the skyrocketing property prices in Iskandar Malaysia.
The booming property sector is triggered by the Iskandar Malaysia factor, and it is increasingly an uphill task for the regular wage earner to own a unit. Even rentals are on the rise.
There is a pressing need to build affordable and low-cost houses to cater to the needs of people.
However, I am doubtful if any foreign or local investors are willing to shoulder such social obligation.
After all, the price of land is not cheap these days. In fact, land is fast becoming a rare commodity in the region.
To require a property developer to build affordable and low cost houses in prime land meant for up market units is simply ridiculous.
At the same time, the failure to build such units contravene the state's housing policy.
Even if the developers are willing to follow the policy, the end result might be catastrophic.
Just imagine how many condominium owners who would have forked out nearly RM1 million to buy a unit would be willing to stay next to a low-cost apartment occupied by, probably, illegal immigrants? The stark contrast would be a deterrent to people who can afford to purchase the posh condominium in the first place.
Eventually the price of the condominiums would drop as well.
This is certainly how property developers who are coming up with luxurious property units feel.
The state government is therefore in a dilemma -- how do they take care of the interests of Johoreans and at the same time attract investors.
It is not easy to achieve an equilibrium and some form of wisdom is needed from the state government.
Low-cost flats such as these in Taman Sri Stulang are a practical option for the low-income group. Pic by Dazar Suarman