Latest news with #RM67mil
The Star
29-05-2025
- The Star
Selayang council monitoring strays in Bandar Tasik Puteri after residents injured
SELAYANG Municipal Council (MPS) has stepped up operations on stray dogs in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang, following two recent incidents. On May 2, a teenager was injured after falling while fleeing a pack of stray dogs. Then on May 10, a woman was bitten while exercising near her home. 'We have approached this issue with prudence after the first case,' MPS deputy president Az'har Samsuri said during the monthly full board meeting at Menara MPS in Bandar Baru Selayang, Selangor. 'MPS has increased patrolling to monitor for stray dogs in the area.' He said the local council could not confirm if the dogs which chased and/or attacked the residents had been caught. 'We don't know for sure if the dogs in the incidents are wild or have owners.' Between May 5 and 20, MPS carried out 14 operations which resulted in the capture of 40 dogs. The animals were transferred to a shelter in Rawang. Az'har said MPS encountered challenges during enforcement, including public interference. 'Some stray dogs that were in cages were released by the public,' he said. 'Some council officers were also provoked in the course of carrying out their duties.' He added that some MPS officers encountered feeders who claimed to represent non-governmental organisations but did not show proof of affiliation. 'There are those who support this person feeding strays, and those who don't because feeding attracts more strays. 'We are trying to manage both sides,' said Az'har. Some individuals, he said, had been feeding strays irresponsibly by leaving food on the road. 'This in turn attracts more dogs into the residential areas.' On another matter, Az'har said MPS collected RM62.16mil in assessment tax this year, achieving 92.78% of its RM67mil target and recovering RM3.97mil in arrears. He said digital payments made up 79.32% of April's collections, with over RM2.3mil in transactions recorded through the MyMPS portal. These included assessment tax, business licences, stall rentals, permits and compounds. Az'har said preparations were also underway for Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2026 as the MPS Stadium has been selected for the women's football event. 'MPS will be ready for Sukma by the end of the year,' he said in reference to new parking bays under construction, for over 300 vehicles, behind the stadium. The stadium has undergone major upgrades in the past two years, including a RM7mil field refurbishment, RM800,000 scoreboard, new public announcement system and improved floodlights. The municipal council also welcomed former MPS deputy president Datuk Cheremi Tarman as the new Orang Besar Daerah Gombak following his recent appointment to the post. He has been appointed councillor for Zone 2 and will serve on MPS' finance, infrastructure, community and One-Stop Centre (OSC) committees. Cheremi had previously served as Shah Alam mayor.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Every segment of society will have access to affordable housing, Johor assembly told
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor is ramping up its efforts to give every segment of society, particularly those in rural areas and the B40 group, access to quality and affordable housing. Housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the state government has committed to building 100,000 units of Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RMMJ) by 2030, with 16,845 units already completed as of the first quarter of this year. 'The state government remains committed to achieving our target of 30,000 units by 2026, and the momentum will continue to reach 100,000 units by the end of this decade,' he told the state assembly here on Monday (May 19). He was replying to questions from Muszaide Makmor (BN-Sedili), Mohd Yusla Ismail (BN-Senggarang) and Ng Kor Sim (PH-Jementah). Jafni added that this commitment includes efforts to expand projects under the Rumah Kasih Johor (RKJ) and Rumah Prihatin Johor (RPJ) programmes, to support low-income groups listed under the e-Kasih system as well as those that are not. He said the RKJ programme provides free housing to hardcore poor families on their own land, with 500 units targeted for completion by next year with an allocation of RM67mil. The RPJ programme, launched this year, is tailored for those in the B40 group who own land but are not registered in the e-Kasih database. 'Each RPJ unit costs at RM86,000, of which RM30,000 is subsidised by the state. "Through RPJ, eligible recipients only need to pay RM56,000 for a 660sq ft home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms,' Jafni said, adding that a pilot project involving 20 units in Kulai and Kluang was underway. Jafni also said some 31 RMMJ projects were offered last year, comprising 2,326 units, while the number of eligible applications received via the e-rumah portal stood at 20,276. He said 14 state constituencies currently have fewer than 20 RMMJ units each and this would be prioritised under plans involving government land and strategic partnerships with district offices and local authorities. Among the new strategies being explored are the construction of affordable apartments on waqaf land, the use of land under the South Johor Development Authority (SSI) and Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), and enhanced policies on bumiputra lot pricing. 'We have also activated a state-level housing task force to identify viable land in all 10 districts for future affordable housing projects,' Jafni said. He added that the state government, under the leadership of Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, remains focused on inclusive development, particularly in ensuring safe shelter for all.
