News about minister

PUTRAJAYA (March 3): Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan (pictured) has denied any abuse of power in granting an extension of time for the construction of a condominium development when he was the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister, Bernama reported today.

SINGAPORE (Feb 20): Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced, with immediate effect, in his Budget statement today that the CPF housing grant has been raised to S$50,000 (RM157,144) for first-timer couples buying four-room or smaller HDB flats from the resale market.

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 29): Developers will be able to be able to retrieve 80% of the 3% developer's deposit after the Certification of Completion (CCC) is obtained while the remaining 20% will be returned after the defects and liability period effective from Nov 11, said Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Tan Sri Noh Omar (pictured) at the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) annual dinner tonight.

Construction sector Maintain overweight: According to a news report, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has cited a change in alignment, a longer tunnel link and a weak ringgit as the reasons for the cost of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project jumping to RM55 billion from RM29 billion.

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 4): The federal government is studying the possibility to allow first-time home buyers to withdraw more money from their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) account to finance their affordable house purchases.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20): A maximum loan in­terest of 6% is a fair rate for developers to charge house buyers, The Star reported Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar as saying yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13): Analysts expect no significant impact on the local property market, following the government’s move to allow eligible property developers to obtain a licence under the Moneylenders Act and Pawnbrokers Act to provide up to 100% financing for homebuyers.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 9): M101 Holdings Sdn Bhd is tapping into the property tourism industry with its iconic development M101 SkyWheel which has a Ferris wheel on top of the building.

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4): The government, specifically the Deputy Minister of Finance 1 Datuk Othman Aziz, said yesterday that houses priced up to RM165,060 are considered affordable to a median Malaysian household.

PETALING JAYA (June 29): The National House Buyers’ Association (HBA) hopes that the new Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar will encourage greater home ownership.