Ministry seeks more federal fund for RMR — Abg Jo
by Lee Ya Yun, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 4, 2012, Saturday
CELEBRATION KICK-OFF: Abang Johari (second left) poses at the banner on the 40th anniversary of HDC with (from left) Abang Abdul Rauf, Harden, Abdul Karim and Dr Abdul Rahman.
KUCHING: The Housing Ministry is currently in a discussion with the federal government to get at least RM100 million from the next rolling plan of the 10th Malaysian Plan (10MP) to develop another 2,000 units of affordable houses in the state.
Its minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said yesterday the fund would be used to build Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) in Matang, Song, Kanowit and Sibu.
He pointed out that the state government had set the target of 19,000 units of RMR by year 2020. To date, the state government had built 600 units while another 1,900 units are in the process.
“A similar fund that we last received was over RM100 million. We hope to get another RM100 million in the next rolling plan and the fund would cover about 2,000 RMR units,” he told a press conference after the launching of the 40th anniversary of Housing Development Corporation (HDC) at Wisma Sultan Tengah here.
In his speech, Abang Johari admitted that it was not an easy task to get funding from the federal government.
“It is because the federal government needs to take care of many state governments. Therefore, if we do not know how to come up with good and sound planning, we may not be able to get the needed funds,” said Abang Johari, also the Tourism Minister.
He therefore urged leaders and staff of HDC to be sensitive to the changing needs and embrace to the new concept in developing new housing estates that could meet the needs of new generations.
He stressed that although the mission of HDC was to provide affordable houses to the people, the state government-linked housing agency must not take its task lightly.
“HDC can no longer apply old approaches as the increase in education and income have changed the needs of the people for housing estates. They no longer want a house only for shelter but are also concerned about the interior design of the house, a place for their children and a green area in the neighbourhood.”
Abang Johari pointed out that Sibu Jaya new township, which is currently being developed, would be the new model of HDC housing estates.
Sibu Jaya new township would be the first housing estate developed by the state government to be equipped with Wi-fi, he said.
Such concepts would be applied to other state housing estates if the Sibu Jaya new township pilot project achieved the desired success, he said.
“Meanwhile, we have forwarded our request to the federal government to extend the Rumah 1Malaysia to Sarawak. The Rumah 1Malaysia is aimed at the middle-class group.”
Also present at the launching were HDC chairman Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen, Assistant Ministers for Housing Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis and Pantai Damai assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.
