LUNDU: The state is looking to build some 500 units of ‘Rumah Mesra Rakyat’ (RMR) low cost houses this year, following the RM50 million allocation from the federal government.
HOUSES FOR RAKYAT: Abang Johari (second right) together with (from left) Tanjung Datu assemblyman and Special Advisor in the Chief Minister’s Department Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem, SPNB Public Housing Development head Datuk Ahmad Azizi Ali and Pantai Damai assemblyman and Dayabuilders Sdn Bhd chairman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi lay bricks for a wall of one section of the RMR units when officiating at the project in Kampung Lundu.
Through the allocation, about 340 units costing some RM22 million have been built throughout the state as of April, said Housing and Urban Development Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“We are looking to build the 500 units in Sebuyau, Lingga, Maludan, Mukah, Bekenu, Lambir and also in Kuching,” he told a press conference here yesterday after inspecting the site of Kampung Lundu RMR scheme expansion project.
Abang Johari, who is also Tourism and Heritage Minister, added that there were also demand for RMR in the urban areas and that the government would be implementing the projects in stages, pointing out that the high demand had overtaken supply.
Touching on the Kampung Lundu project, he stated that a total of 28 units of RMR costing some RM2 million would be built.
“Five local Class F contractors have been appointed and construction will start immediately. Each unit would take some four to six months to complete.”
He disclosed that the state had been given a special concession for village expansion by the federal government.
This meant that although RMR houses must be built on a plot with existing land titles, under the special concession the houses could be built on new areas as a way to expand villages where successful applicants would be given houses and individual land titles, he explained.
“Now that we combined these two, the premium can be paid within 10 years so that it would not be expensive. Considering the low premium rate added with the already low house price, the people would only have to pay two thirds.
“This would be very convenient and beneficial to the rakyat,” he stressed, adding that successful applicants only needed to pay RM200 (as first month payment) to move in straight away.
Abang Johari also commended the RMR project as a way for the government to improve the people’s quality of life, thus meeting the nation’s Vision 2020 and high income society objective.
Giving his appraisal on the quality of RMR houses, he said every unit is built as a bungalow with three rooms and two bathrooms using bricks.
Meanwhile, the Kampung Lundu RMR scheme expansion project would see a total of 28 units built on a 4.05-acre piece of land.
The first stage would see the building of 10 units which are slated to be completed by October.
The five contractors for the project are B.D Resources, Nordiana Enterprise, Saini and Sons Trading, Gading Mountain Enterprise and Tylin General Contractor.
The RMR project is administered by the state and federal governments through the Housing Development Corporation and Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB).
Also present at the visit yesterday were Tanjung Datu assemblyman and Special Advisor in the Chief Minister’s Department Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem, Pantai Damai assemblyman and Dayabuilders Sdn Bhd chairman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, SPNB Public Housing Development head Datuk Ahmad Azizi Ali and Lundu District Officer Azmi Bujang.