PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim wants the practice of soliciting and giving commission in the implementation of development projects, including housing, to be stopped immediately.

He said the government has never prevented any company from conducting its operations and making profits, but the practice of giving commission to any minister or political party for that purpose should stop.

“If the company is making profits, no problem, but don’t cut RM10 million or RM15 million (of the company’s profit) just for a minister or any political party as practised before. This is what damages (the system),” he said when launching the Residensi Wilayah, Residensi Prihatin Madani and Madani Hawker Centre ground-breaking ceremony at Desa Tasik Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur today.

“I understand many would be angry with me for addressing this issue, but everyone knows, just ask the developers in the federal territories.

“Am I right or am I wrong? Am I exaggerating or am I telling the truth? Without exception, everybody would say yes and that has been the practice and we have done so. I say we have to stop this nonsense.”

Anwar said it is better for the “commission allocation” to be returned to the people by implementing more balanced development projects, including housing for low-income groups or more organised markets and hawker centres.

As for the nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, which is growing rapidly and driven by development, the prime minister said the government has set conditions that in the construction of new housing projects, it must be balanced to make it a caring Madani city.

He said this is to ensure that the people, especially the low-income groups, would not be left out of mainstream development.

At the same time, he said, the government and the private sector will continue to play an important role in ensuring more affordable housing is built for the groups.

He said to enhance the livability of the city, open spaces and green areas around housing projects need to be created or maintained so that they do not just become urban forests.

Developers should also create a systematic market or hawker centres for the convenience of the people, he said.

“I want to see a huge shift, that in a year or two, Kuala Lumpur will be well known as as a city with good landmarks, big hotels and clean stalls and beautiful in its own way,” he said.

The Residensi Wilayah and Residensi Prihatin Madani is a project on a 1.4ha tract offering 1,010 affordable units to first-time buyers from the target groups of M40 and below. – Bernama, August 17, 2023.