Bandar Seri Begawan - The Minister of Development Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman yesterday said house owners are now allowed to renovate their new houses.

The minister spoke to the Bulletin on the sidelines of His Majesty's visit to the Belait District to award house keys to 579 people.

"In the past, house owners were asked to wait for a period of two years before they could make any additions to their house."

The minister said new house owners can now renovate their houses but they still need to seek permission from the ministry.

The minister also said the waiting time to receive a house under the National Housing Scheme has been shortened.

"We have been able to cut short the waiting time for recipients to be granted a house. Due to the shortened period of time, we can see many young faces among the recipients receiving key plaques to the new houses at today's ceremony.

"Currently, we have managed to reduce the waiting time of house distribution and recipients will be able to own a house within five to 10 years since they first registered for the National Housing Scheme," said the minister.

He also told the Bulletin that the waiting period will be even lesser in the future. "This is because more houses are being built, and this makes it possible for the waiting period to be shortened," he added. "We will try to improve on that and make the time shorter."