Housing minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said so far, only 248 applicants had registered for the Sireh Residence project.

She said 1,080 units of the 2,160 total units are 90% complete, while the remaining units have yet to be constructed.

“We do not know why the number of applicants is low. The project is in an area experiencing rapid growth and the cost of each home is below RM300,000,” she told reporters after visiting the housing project in Lebah Sireh today.

She said she would raise the matter with the Kelantan state government and request that the project be better publicised among state government officers.

Zuraida added that her ministry would give the developer the option of continuing with the construction of the remaining units or undertake changes to convert the units to other types of affordable homes and to offer them for sale to the public.

The minister, who is also responsible for local government, also commented on a call by more than 50 professional bodies and organisations to revoke efforts to set up special smoking areas in public spaces.

She said the government needed to consider all parties and “if the move is not implemented, cigarette butts will be thrown away indiscriminately, causing other issues to arise”.