Universiti Putra Malaysia's Faculty of Design & Architecture senior lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Zairul Mohd Noor said the announcement reflected the government's commitment to continue mobilising efforts to improve the quality of life of the residents in government housing projects
"The RM200 million allocation to replace dilapidated lifts in low-cost and medium-cost strata public housing is the right step because, currently, many PPR buildings faced maintenance issues which can threaten the safety and comfort of the residents.
"With the guarantee of continuous maintenance, especially for dilapidated lifts, it will increase the safety and comfort levels of the residents, who previously faced this problem frequently," he told Bernama.
He said many studies reported that existing PPRs no longer met the needs of the residents because the buildings were decades old and the situation became a big challenge for the government in providing comfortable and safe housing for them.
Mohd Zairul said that to ensure the facilities and infrastructure at the PPRs remain properly maintained, residents should be made aware of the importance of taking care of public property, thus preventing vandalism.
"As such, the proposal made by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to impose stricter penalties on residents who neglect to pay maintenance fees to the Joint Management Body (JMB) is appropriate.
"This will ensure that maintenance fees can be collected consistently and enable infrastructure maintenance at all PPRs to be carried out more effectively, continuously and comprehensively," he said.
Meanwhile, the provision of individual tax relief of up to RM7,000 on mortgage interest payments for those purchasing their first home could help Malaysians realise their dream of owning their own property.
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment lecturer Nasrudin Sharkawi said that through this initiative, the cost of buying a house priced below RM500,000 can be indirectly reduced.
"I look at it as being able to improve the ability, especially the young people who have just started working and the middle class, to purchase a house. Without these announced incentives, it would be somewhat difficult for this group to buy a house and that's why they'd rather rent a house," he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the budget recently, said the government planned to give individual tax relief of up to RM7,000 on mortgage interest payments for residential houses valued up to RM500,000.
Tax relief of up to RM5,000, meanwhile, will be provided for residential houses priced above RM500,000 to RM750,000 and this relief can be claimed for three consecutive years of assessment on sale and purchase agreements completed between Jan 1, 2025 and Dec 31, 2027.
Meanwhile, architect Mohd Azli Mohamad Jamil said the government's efforts to upgrade 48 MADANI public parks, including recreational areas and landscapes, with an allocation of almost RM100 million could create a community that is harmonious and has good social interaction.
He said the government's focus on Kampung Baru Cina and Indian community villages would also meet the social needs of the communities indirectly.
"Recreational areas with beautiful landscapes provide opportunities for everyone to enjoy various physical activities, which can help promote an active lifestyle. Access to green spaces can also lead to a reduction in health-related problems.
"Studies have shown that spending time in green spaces or natural environments can reduce stress as well as improve one's mood and cognitive functions," he said.
