For most people of Terengganu, owning home a distant dream

KUALA TERENGANU - Owning a home is everyone’s dream, not only to provide shelter but also as an asset, especially for those who are starting a family.

However, for the young people in Terengganu, owning a home is now a distant dream as housing prices continue to soar.

Due to this most of these young married couples continue living with their parents or renting a house, despite growing family members.

A housewife, Nurul Asyikin Mohd Nazri, 24, said a one-storey terraced house located in Kampung Wakaf Dua near Bukit Payong about 16 kilometres from Marang town, now costs nearly RM400,000.

"At the beginning of this year, I saw an advertisement on Facebook selling a one-storey terraced house in Kampung Wakaf Dua for RM380,000.

"I contacted the seller of the house and asked if the price could be reduced. The seller informed me that he could sell the house to me at a price of RM350,000 as it is located on the side of the main road to Kuala Terengganu and Marang city centre,” she told Bernama.

However, Nurul Asyikin is of the view that the price offered is still unreasonable considering that the location is quite far from the city centre of Kuala Terengganu and Marang, apart from its relatively small size.

The mother of one said that her husband, a civil servant, could not afford to pay the loan every month if they agreed to purchase the house.

Meanwhile, Nur Qistina Lydia Zakaria, 24, said in addition to the big price tag, the increasing cost of living caused her and her husband Muhamad Shafiq Ahmad Khairi, 26, to forget their dream of owning a home for now.

"After combining my income as a restaurant assistant and my husband's income as a lorry driver which is about RM3,000, with the increased price of goods, I am worried that we will not be able to meet the loan commitment every month,” said Nur Qistina Lydia, who is now renting a house in Seberang Takir in Kuala Nerus.

Meanwhile, private sector employee Shamsuddin Taib, 47, said he had applied for an affordable house in Tok Jembal in Kuala Nerus, implemented by the state government in 2018, but thus far there has been no response to his application.

"After 2018, I applied for another affordable housing project in 2022 in Kuala Nerus as well but have yet to receive any response. Until today, the status of my application is 'in process' stage. In fact, several of my friends also suffered the same fate.

"I can't afford to buy houses sold by private companies or private individuals because the prices offered are so expensive which equal the prices of houses in Kuala Lumpur,” said the father of one, who now lives in a rented house in Kampung Gelugor Kedai.

He also expressed hope that the new state government will be able to implement more affordable housing projects so that more people have the opportunity to own their own homes.

Terengganu Barisan Nasional (BN) in its state elections manifesto, themed 'Unity for Stability and Prosperity' also offered to build 10,000 affordable houses within five years. - BERNAMA