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| Abdul Karim (centre) is seen with Wong (third right) and Ngui (fifth left) holding the ribbon cutting ceremony to officiate the opening of Sheda Home and Property Roadshow 2015 at Boulevard Shopping Mall, Kuching, while Sheda committee and council members look on. |
KUCHING: Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda) is holding its first Sheda Home and Property Roadshow for 2015 at Boulevard Shopping Mall, Kuching.
The event will be held this weekend from March 6 to 8, 2015 and will be open daily from 10am to 9pm.
Officiating the event yesterday, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Assistant Minister of Housing Sarawak, said the roadshow is an ideal place for interested parties to view various properties.
He also believed that there is a growing demand for residential properties, given Sarawak’s economy which has spurred a rapid growth of housing estates throughout the state.
On the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) next month, Abdul Karim noted that while the increment in property prices is expected, the hike will likely not be very significant.
Concurring this, Sheda Kuching branch chairman and organising chairman of Sheda Home and Property Roadshow 2015, Dr Christopher Ngui said, “It is reckoned that house prices are on an uptrend due to annual inflation, increasing land prices, labour and building materials costs, rural-urban migration, and population growth.”
“It is notable that there is a vacuum in the affordable homes with the price range of RM150,000 to RM300,000.
“To assist that majority group of house buyers at the said affordable price range, we hope the government can assist the developers by increasing the density and reducing the compliance costs and others in order to be sustainable.”
He also urged interested parties to purchase their dream homes or properties now rather than later.
Meanwhile, Joseph Wong, president of Sheda Sarawak, urged manufacturers of construction raw materials to be responsible in pricing basic construction materials when GST is implemented next month.
Wong noted that with GST coming into play, prices of raw materials will be taxed at six per cent and interested parties can check which taxed raw materials on the Customs website.
On the roadshow, 60 booths have been taken up with over 50 exhibitors from Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia, and foreign developers. There are also exhibitors from the oil palm land investment scheme and building related trades.
Sheda has also assigned a booth to a non-government organisation (NGO); Pibakat, to create awareness of their plight and activities to the general public. Sheda noted that more booths will be given out to other NGOs in the future.
A colouring contest will also be held on Saturday (March 7) for children aged seven to nine (Group A) and on Sunday (March 8) for children aged 10 to 12 (Group B). Both contests will be held from 2pm to 4pm and children are advised to bring their own colouring tools, including mini tables and chairs, if required.
The second Sheda Home and Property Roadshow 2015, Kuching, is scheduled to be held on November 27 to 29, 2015, at Boulevard Shopping Mall, Kuching.
Sheda encourages interested exhibitors to book their booths now to secure a good location.
Of note, this is also the first roadshow by Sheda Kuching branch, after the formation of Sheda branches during the last quarter of 2014.
For more information, call Sheda secretariats Florence, Michelle, or Harea at 082-366334 or email harea.activity@sheda.org.my.
House prices will rise, not fall after GST, Chong points out
ReplyDeleteMarch 14, 2015, Saturday
KUCHING: State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen yesterday highlighted the contradictory statements of Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg and Assistant Minister Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah on the prices of housing after implementing Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Presenting newspaper clippings dated Oct 13, 2014, as evidence, he quoted Abang Johari as saying: ‘After the implementation of GST, house prices should fall unless my Maths is very poor; while Karim on March 7, this year said: ‘After the implementation of GST, house prices will increase by three to four per cent’.
Chong said at a press conference here yesterday: “I agree with Abdul Karim and with the fact that Abang Johari’s Maths is very poor for the simple fact that lots of building materials are not subject to sales tax of 10 per cent, but when GST is implemented, prices of building materials like cement and steel bars, will be subjected to six per cent (tax).
“This will cause the cost of housing to go up by three to four per cent, and it will be translated into higher selling prices.”
Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman and Bandar Kuching MP, said the conflicting words went to show that the two were clueless about what was going on in their ministry, leaving the public confused.
Subscribing to Abdul Karim’s view, Chong said house buyers could expect to pay more for house prices after April 1.
For instance, a buyer who went for a terraced house valued at RM350,000 would be expected to pay another RM30,000 for the total cost after GST.
“Based on a calculation of four per cent more, it means an increase of RM15,000 to get a terraced house. Given a 20-year mortgage with a minimal interest of five per cent, you’re talking about RM30,000 more.
“And this is only for one terraced house at the price of RM350,000, which is considered cheap in Kuching nowadays. The implementation of GST is something I think that the people in general are paying for the cost of corruption and wastage in the government system.
“At the end, you are paying 10 per cent more on houses.” -TheBorneoPost
Chong keliru kenyataan bercanggah antara Abang Johari dan Abdul Karim
ReplyDeleteMarch 14, 2015
KUCHING: Pengerusi DAP Negeri, Chong Chieng Jen semalam keliru dengan ke-nyataan bercanggah antara Menteri Perumahan dan Menteri Mudanya berhubung harga rumah selepas pelaksanaan Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST), April nanti.
Chong yang memetik ke-nyataan Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg (Menteri Perumahan) bertarikh 13 Oktober 2014 sebagai berkata: “Selepas pelaksanaan GST, harga rumah seharusnya turun melainkan matematik saya tidak bagus.”
Manakala, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (Menteri Muda Perumahan) pada 7 Mac 2015 dipetik sebagai berkata: “ Selepas pelaksanaan GST, harga rumah akan meningkat antara tiga hingga empat peratus.”
“Saya bersetuju dengan Abdul Karim dan jelas matematik Abang Johari amat lemah.
“Mengambil contoh mudah, kebanyakan daripada bahan binaan seperti simen, besi dan sebagainya akan dikenakan cukai enam peratus.
“Ini sudah pasti akan me-ningkatkan kos perumahan kepada tiga hingga empat pe-ratus sekali gus meingkatkan harga siling,” ujarnya pada sidang media di Ibu Pejabat DAP di sini semalam.
Tambah Chong yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Kota Sentosa dan Ahli Parlimen Bandar Ku-ching, kenyataan bercanggah antara kedua-dua pemimpin ini jelas menunjukkan bahawa mereka tidak peka dengan apa yang berlaku dalam kementerian mereka.
Malah, kenyataan bercanggah seperti ini hanya akan menimbulkan kekeliruan dalam kalangan rakyat terutama pembeli berpotensi.
Jelas Chong lagi, jika pandangan Karim tepat, maka pembeli rumah akan membayar lebih tinggi ke atas harga rumah selepas pelaksanaan GST berkuat kuasa 1 April ini.
Sebagai contoh, katanya, pembeli yang memilih rumah teres bernilai RM350,000 perlu membayar kos tambahan tiga hingga empat peratus selepas pelaksanaan GST.
Berdasarkan pengiraan empat peratus, bermakna kenaikan bagi rumah teres ialah RM15,000 dan jika pinjaman adalah 20 tahun dengan faedah minimal lima peratus, maka pembeli membayar lebih daripada RM30,000. -UtusanBorneo