AFFORDABLE HOUSES FOR YOUNGER GENERATION TO BE LAUNCHED JUN OR JULY, PM SAYS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- The government will launch an affordable quality housing programme for houses priced at RM220,000 (US$73,186) and below to enable the younger generation to own a house, Prime Minister Najib Razak said.

He said the programme, under the My First Home Scheme and to be launched either next month or in July, would be implemented under the public-private partnership initiative.

"The government will provide the site, and the developer will implement the project based on the industrial building system.

"I've also said that if possible, they (the private sector) turn this into a corporate social responsibility project and not for profit," he said in an interview with Hot FM radio station at a private broadcasting station, here Friday.

The one-hour programme was also aired live on private TV.

Najib said the initiative was devised following comments conveyed through his Facebook page, and in newspapers, about the difficulties faced by the younger generation in owning a house within that price range, especially in the Klang Valley (state of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas).

Under the My First Home Scheme launched by the prime minister on March 8, those aged 35 and below, with a monthly salary of less than RM3,000, are eligible to buy a house, priced at RM220,000 and below, with 100 per cent financing. (US$1=RM3.00)

During the one-hour session, the prime minister was also asked about the public transportation National Key Result Area (NKRA).

Najib said the initiative had shown progress and that its impact would be more profoundly felt in the next two to three years.

Answering a caller's query on his new media engagement, Najib said, it was in line with the new environment and the trend among the younger generation.

I've decided that apart from using the conventional way, I will also utilise the new media because it allows me to convey messages in a prompt manner to those who use the platform," he said.

Apart from a blog and a Facebook account, Najib also tweets actively and has a huge number of followers.

Najib said he normally update his Twitter tweets at night while he was at home, or while on the road between Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, after he had done the business of the day.

The interview was also punctuated by light moments and friendly banters between the hosts and the prime minister.

At one point, Najib was asked about the upcoming match between Manchester United and Barcelona for the Champions League final.

Najib, a Manchester United fan, said he hope that MU would win the match but admitted that Barcelona too, had a strong line up.

To a question on how he dealt with stress, Najib said he exercised
regularly.

"During my days as a student, I often asked my friends to play football or squash to minimise stress. Now I go to gymnasium, getting onto the treadmill and cross trainer," he said.

Some of the prime minister's favourite songs were aired during the
programme, including "If Tomorrow Never Comes" by Ronan Keating, and "Nobody" by Wonder Girls.

Najib said the one of the local songs connected him to the Orang Asli (indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia) in his Pekan constituency, saying they sung the song very well.

Najib also played the checkers game with DJ Faizal.

Asked about his daily routine, the prime minister said, it normally started with the subuh (early morning) prayers followed by reading the newspapers.

"I will then take a bath, take my breakfast and go to the office. I normally reach the office between 8am and 8.30am," he said.

He normally finishes work and goes home between 6.30pm and 7pm.

Najib also wishes a Happy Mother's Day to mothers in Malaysia. The year's Mother's Day falls on Sunday.
"Mothers play a very important role. This is a fact which we should
recognise. We must love our mothers," he said.

Asked on the Teacher's Day on May 16, Najib said, teachers, too, played a important role in determining the future of the country and in imparting education to the children.

"This is important because in any case, our country's strength depends on the quality of human capital. And this (developing human capital) should be carried out in a committed and structured manner so that they are able to fulfil the country's aspirations," he said.