GEORGE TOWN: Penang is working to speed up the approval process for the Rumah Bakat Baru Madani housing scheme, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing of the project's joint development agreement (JDA) in Kuala Lumpur.
Chow said the Prime Minister had referenced the Residensi Suria Madani project in Kuala Lumpur, which was approved by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall within just 45 days and urged Penang to aim for the same efficiency.
"We are now working with the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP), along with all relevant technical agencies, to meet the Prime Minister's target," he said.
He said that the fastest approval process under the current one-stop centre procedure would take 58 days, but the goal was to reduce this to 40 days for this project.
This week, stakeholders kicked off a workshop to plan the approval timeline and identify daily targets to meet the 40-day goal.
Chow said that the developer of the Rumah Bakat Baru Madani scheme planned to submit its application on Jan 2 next year, aiming to simultaneously submit both the planning permission and building plan.
"We are committed to completing all approvals within 40 days, with the Prime Minister's official launch of the project set for mid-February," he told newsmen after attending PDC's Christmas and New Year 2025 celebration here today.
The Rumah Bakat Baru Madani project is vital for providing affordable housing for various target groups, such as technicians, engineers, and young graduates, to help retain talent in Penang.
The project, with an estimated gross development value of RM13 billion, is the largest affordable housing initiative in the country's history.
Located on prime plots in Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan, it aims to deliver over 35,000 affordable homes, with unit prices ranging from RM225,000 to RM420,000.
The first phase is slated for launch in 2026, and the entire project is expected to take 10 years to complete.
The development is a significant step towards meeting the federal government's goal under the 12th Malaysia Plan to deliver 500,000 affordable homes by next year.