Committee to look into sale of Forest City properties

The committee will look into conditions for purchasing units before allowing foreigners to buy property in the Johor project.

Reuters pic.

PUTRAJAYA: The government has set up a committee to look into conditions for purchasing housing units in Forest City before allowing foreigners to buy real estate in the Johor project which involves investments of about US$100 billion.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the decision to establish the committee was made by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad when chairing the National Physical Planning Meeting (NPPM) at Perdana Putra here yesterday.

Her ministry, the finance ministry and the Johor government were also represented.

“A decision on whether the housing units can be sold to foreigners has not been made. That is why we have to have meetings to check and evaluate the sale and purchase mechanism,” she told reporters after attending the NPPM.

She also said she had been instructed to chair the committee for discussions with the developer and relevant agencies.

The Forest City project became mired in controversy following claims that the bulk of the housing units are meant for Chinese nationals.

However, the developer claims that it has met all Malaysian requirements. -FMT