SIBU: The federal and state governments have agreed to embark on a scheme to provide more money for district councils in the state.Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said this would materialize by 2012.
It was to help the district councils in financing maintenance of roads and drains.
“Under the scheme, some subsidies will be given to the district councils,” he said.
He was speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for Affordable Quality Housing (AQH) project in Taman Muhibbah, Kanowit, about one hour’s drive from here yesterday.
There are 26 local councils in the state including Kuching North City Council, Bintulu Development Authority, Kuching South City Council, Padawan Municipal Council, Sibu Municipal Council and Miri City Council.
The rest are district councils which include Kanowit District Council, Kapit District Council, Meradong-Julau District Council, Matu-Daro District Council, Mukah-Dalat District Council, Saratok District Council, Sarikei District Council and Sibu Rural District Council, in the central zone.
In the southern zone, they are Bau District Council, Betong District Council, Lubok Antu District Council, Lundu District Council, Samarahan District Council, Serian District Council, Simunjan District Council and Sri Aman District Council.
Lawas District Council, Limbang District Council, Marudi District Council and Subis District Council were in the northern region.
On Kanowit, Taib said plans were underway by the state’s ministry in charge of town planning to turn the rural town into a secondary town.
The town’s population of 5,000 people at the moment will rise to 15,000 by the year 2020 thus Taib also believed Kanowit would be developed into a major city in the future.
“To tackle lack of parkings, I have asked the Land and Survey Department to find a land as there will be more cars when the town grows,” he said.
There also will be more houses mushrooming.
On major waterworks in Kanowit, he said RM25 million will be spent for the purpose.
“The works will be launched in September next year. We already have the money but we are still lack of technical workers like engineers and contractors,” he said.
Meanwhile, a total of 197 low and middle cost houses will be built under the AQH project on a total of 24-acres site. The project will be done in two phases.
The houses are divided into three categories, namely Rumah Mampu Milik (RMM) 1 which was priced between RM42,000 and RM47,000, RMM 2 (between RM80,000 and RM100,000) and Middle Cost Unit.
It was an effort by the state government and assisted by the federal government under the Second Economy Stimulus Package.
For phase one, 68 units of RMM1 category will be built on a five-acre site.
Per unit of 700 square feet in size will consist three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living hall, kitchen and dining hall.
When completed, among the amenities available in the housing area included children’s playground, surau, kindergarten and multipurpose hall.
Later, Taib handed over land titles to 130 owners in Sungai Lipus, received by Penghulu Boniface Kalai.
Among those attended at the function were Minister of Housing and Urban Development Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, his assistant ministers Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck and Abdul Wahab Aziz, Assistant Minister of Public Utilities Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Heritage Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister of Industrial Development Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen, Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Gramong Juna and Kanowit MP Aaron Ago Dagang.