State housing exco Jagdeep Singh Deo said the campaigns could get buyers acquainted with apartment living, the do’s and don’ts, the role of the building management and other important issues they should understand.
He said a lack of such an understanding could and has caused social problems among neighbours.
“Such events to brief buyers on apartment living and the rules and regulations they have to follow even before they move in can be helpful to prevent problems.
“The state will bring this proposal to the housing department and maybe we will come up with a policy to get developers to hold such events,” he told reporters today.
Earlier, Jagdeep attended an awareness campaign by developer M Summit for its affordable freehold Ramah Pavilion apartment buyers at the Komtar auditorium.
The unit buyers were briefed on their rights, the roles of management bodies and what they could and could not do when renovating their new homes, as well as other house rules.
Jagdeep said it was the first time such an event was organised by a developer for its unit buyers, adding that the session was good, especially for first-time buyers and those who had never stayed in apartments before.
“We think the programme is good and other developers should emulate what M Summit has done,” he said.
Jagdeep also said M Summit was the first private developer to build 100% affordable units in its housing project in Penang, since the state government introduced the scheme in 2013.
He said until now, the state had received 2,181 applications for homes priced at RM200,000; 6,531 for RM300,000 units and 1,563 for RM400,000 units.
But out of the 10,275 applicants, only 8,295 were successful because many failed to secure bank loans, he said.
“The high loan rejection rate is still a major challenge. The lower income groups face the most difficulties to get loans when it should be easier for them,” he said.
Jagdeep said the state would send a joint-motion signed by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state opposition leader Jahara Hamid from Barisan Nasional to ask the federal government to get Bank Negara Malaysia to relax its housing loan requirements for lower income groups.
The joint-motion would also call for enforcement action against low-cost and low-medium cost home owners, who rent out their units to make money, he said.
Meanwhile, M Summit managing director Albert Moh said the 759 unit Ramah Pavilion in Teluk Kumbar was scheduled to complete in September this year, and buyers should be able to get their keys by Chinese New Year next year.
He said only about 100 units were still available.
Moh also said his company was also launching a retirement wellness home project Scots Pavilion on Jalan Scotland that would be 100% disabled-friendly soon.
The 22-storey project has 89 housing units, physiotherapy facilities and other features that are suitable for senior citizens living on their own.