KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — The new Bumiputera quota of 50 per cent for houses in Negri Sembilan took effect beginning yesterday, local daily Berita Harian has reported.

Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan reportedly justified the hike in quota from the initial 30 per cent to the ethnic breakdown of the state’s population, where 70 per cent are said to be Malay and Bumiputera.

The revised reservation of housing units for Bumiputera community is under the state’s new housing policy, Berita Harian reported.

Under the same new housing policy, developers are also required to ensure that half of their developments are affordable housing units.

Mohamad said this would help tackle the issue of families forced to live in small low-cost homes.

“We don’t want to see a family living in a low-cost house that only has one room and because of that we ask developers to build houses that (people) can afford to own and not houses that (people) can afford to look at,” he was quoted saying.

In outlining the new requirements, Mohamad said the 50 per cent affordable housing would mean that developers have to ensure 15 per cent of their developments are priced below RM80,000, 15 per cent below RM250,000 and 20 per cent below RM400,000.

Developers will be free to sell the rest of their development projects at their desired price.

Mohamad said no Bumiputera discounts will be available for houses priced below RM80,000 as they will be offered to all who are qualified to buy them, while discounts for the Bumiputera community of between five to ten per cent will be offered for other categories.

Berita Harian said a new website for Bumiputera housing is expected to be set up soon.