SUNGAI PETANI: Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Sanusi Md Nor has advised the younger generation to focus on acquiring essential assets before spending on unnecessary luxury items.
He said buying a house, for example, can lay the foundation needed to start a family.
He said the younger generation tend to focus on buying the latest mobile phones, motorcycles and sometimes even up to two cars.
"There is no need for expensive things at the beginning of a marriage. The most important thing in building the foundation of a family is a house.
"I hope the people in Kedah can change their lifestyle a little. There's no need to spend excessively.
"Buy a house first and then the other necessities," he told reporters after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for an affordable housing project in Sungai Petani, Kedah, today.
Sanusi lauded the joint venture between state investment holding company Bina Darulaman Bhd (BDB) and Lagenda Properties BHd (LPB) who worked together through BDB Lagenda Sdn Bhd (BDB Lagenda) in developing the Darulaman Lagenda Affordable Township Project here.
"A total of 2,848 housing units will be built in this township.
"We are certain that the housing units offered, priced below RM250,000, will be affordable enough for the B40 and M40 groups," he said.
He said 282 single-storey terrace houses will be built in Phase 1 of the development, with prices starting at RM198,000.
"This is a manifestation of the concern and commitment of BDB and BDB Land in an effort to help the Kedah government to ensure that the people, especially those with moderate incomes, are able to own a house," he said.
He said the state government places home ownership as a priority and had prepared a thorough and comprehensive plan to meet the people's housing needs.
"The target group, namely the B40 and M40, must be given priority in every housing or township development project in the state in the future," he said.
He also called for a speedier approval process from state agencies and federal authorities so that the project can be completed as scheduled.