Kota bharu: The Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK) approved the construction of 215 housing units for the asnaf community in the state last year, involving an allocation of RM14.9 million. MAIK president Tan Sri Tengku Mohamad Rizam Tengku Abdul Aziz shared details of the housing initiative, which aimed to provide homes to those in need.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, each house is valued between RM65,000 and RM80,000, depending on the size and needs of the recipient's family. The houses range from three-room units priced at RM65,000, to four-room units at RM73,000, and five-room units at RM80,000. MAIK collaborates closely with the Land and District Office to select recipients, with additional insights from local leaders like penghulu and penggawa.

The announcement was made during the launch of the MAIK 2026 Asnaf Early Schooling Assistance programme at Masjid Jamek Mahmoodi, where 24 recipients were also presented with replica MAIK house keys. Earlier, Tengku Mohamad Rizam distributed RM150 in early schooling assistance to 210 students from mosques in the Bachok zone, part of an RM31,500 allocation.

The annual allocation for early schooling assistance to the asnaf group this year is RM3.5 million, benefiting 25,578 students statewide. Meanwhile, one of the recipients of the MAIK housing initiative, Nor Asiah Safei, 39, from Kampung Nipah, expressed her gratitude for receiving a home and no longer needing to pay RM300 in monthly rent. She highlighted her family's journey and relief at owning a three-room house valued at RM65,000, after years of applying for assistance.