BY FATIMAH ZAINAL

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 2,010 youth transit housing units will be ready here by 2020, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"This is aimed at helping the M40 groups, where the households earn less than RM10,000," he said in his speech during a key handing over ceremony to new residents of People's Housing Project (PPR) Sri Aman in Kepong and the launching of the Youth Transit Housing Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Najib said for the Youth Transit Housing project, the rental fee would be 30% lower than market value.

He added that the project would use the studio apartment concept, which would be suitable for adults and young married couples.

"What's unique about the project is that there is the element of forced savings.

"From the monthly rental money paid, RM250 will be kept aside by the Government so that when the maximum tenancy period of five year ends, tenants would get back their savings of RM15,000," said Najib.

The Prime Minister said the savings could be used by the youth as deposits to purchase their own homes, adding that there will be 1,244 units built in Kepong and 766 units in Batu.

This is the second youth transit housing project launched, with the first being in Bukit Jalil.

However, the Bukit Jalil project does not use the forced savings concept, according to Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar who was present at the event.

In Budget 2017, Najib announced that 10,000 units of transit houses for the youth would be built in main cities in the country.