KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin today denied that the people’s housing project (PPR) would be scrapped.

She said that her ministry was instead planning a rebranding exercise to uplift the residents there, financially and psychologically.

Responding to criticisms, she pointed out that under her ministry’s Affordable Housing schemes, which still cater to the B40 group, residents will have a bigger home coupled with better facilities and common areas — a different concept compared to the old PPR system.

"They (politicians) have to wait for my total presentation on the package for the Rumah Mampu Milik. As much as we are rebranding, from the current PPR name to Rumah Mampu Milik, we have a name; I won’t say now but I will be launching it this mid-September.

"Rumah Mampu Milik is a bigger house at 900 square feet, with better facilities and other common areas. That itself is a different concept totally from what the old PPR is,” the Ampang MP explained.

Furthermore, she said that there are two schemes under her initiative, the first is rent-to-own and the other is transit-homes for the B40 community.

While rent-to-own is self explanatory, those staying in transit-homes have to upgrade themselves after a certain number of years but if they’ve paid their dues on time, they will have an easier time obtaining bank loans to purchase a house.

Zuraida also confirmed that this means the idea of renting PPR units out at affordables rate is not thrown out the window, with the current rental standing at RM250 a month.

The federal minister had received criticism from both sides of the political divide after she sent out letters informing various state governments that Putrajaya will no longer build or develop PPR as it is in the process of a rebranding exercise.

This led to confusion and misunderstanding among many of those who received the letter, including Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and the state’s Housing, Town, Country Planning and Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.