ISKANDAR PUTERI, June 21 — Housing developers in Johor failed to build a total of 153,712 affordable housing units as legally required across the past 25 years, Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said today.

The state housing and local government committee chairman said the figure was based on the approval data from planning permission layout plans in all local authorities throughout the state.

He said the shortfall of the affordable homes must be addressed immediately using effective strategies and monitoring, notwithstanding the completion of the larger projects from which they are owed.

"The state government has asked the Johor Housing Development Corporation (PKPJ) to formulate a solution by a planning, design and review committee whose role is to evaluate, monitor and facilitate the application of affordable housing development proposals.

"The committee which will comprise of various departments and related agencies such as local authorities, the Johor Land and Mines Office (PTG), PlanMalaysia@Johor and other utility agencies. They will be the main platform for housing construction initiatives for the B40 and M40 segment groups.

"PKPJ will also be a 'centralised database' to ensure efficient coordination for the development of affordable housing and transit homes by all state government agencies, Federal agencies and private property developers,” said Mohd Jafni when answering a question from Pandak Ahmad (BN-Kota Iskandar) on the state government's initiative to solve the shortage of affordable homes in Johor during the state assembly session in Kota Iskandar here today.

Mohd Jafni, who is also the Bukit Permai assemblyman, said the state government aims to build a total of 21,139 units of affordable homes in stages by 2026.

He said the construction target for affordable homes at the end of this year and 2023 is at 5,033 units, including those being offered.

"Johor has also identified suitable government land for the construction of housing for the B40 and M40 segment groups. This includes affordable housing that can be bought or transit housing to meet the needs of Johor residents,” said Mohd Jafni.