QUALITY HOMES: Abang Johari (centre) admiring the model of an affordable housing unit at Taman Sri Tuang phase III project. Also seen are (from left) Dr Abang Abdul Rauf, Karim, Rubiah and Ali (right).
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has agreed in principal to have about 50,000 units of affordable houses built in Sarawak within the next five years as part of the BN’s pledge to build about one million units of such homes nationwide.
Speaking to reporters after performing the earth-breaking ceremony for the Taman Sri Tuang Phase III affordable housing project near here yesterday, Minister of Housing Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the national initiative would see about 10,000 units of affordable houses built annually in both urban and rural areas in the state.
The project would be undertaken by the state Housing Development Corporation (HDC) along with the federal Housing Department, incorporating the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (Pr1ma).
“Apart from the Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) housing scheme to help the poor, this initiative will help the people tremendously in owning a house. Due to the increasing prices of houses, we are trying to build houses that can be afforded by all.
“This is in addition to the housing price control mechanism that we have put in place,” said Abang Johari, who is also Minister of Tourism.
He added that the state did not want to apply for more units due to the lack of capacity and capabilities of the people to buy these houses.
“What we build must match our purchasing capacity. Based on capacity, the main areas to build these affordable housings will be in Miri, Bintulu, Kuching and Kota Samarahan.”
Phase III of the Taman Sri Tuang affordable housing project, situated some 25 kilometre from Kota Samarahan, will see the building of 303 units of affordable houses. Phase I and II saw the building of 150 units of houses and 15 units of shophouses.
Due to the big demand for houses under this project, plans are afoot for Phase IV and V, which would see 189 and 137 units of single-storey terrace houses built respectively.
The final phase would see eight units of semi-detached houses.
The whole project will see the building of 787 units of affordable houses. These houses would have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, kitchen and dining room.
Other facilities inked for the project include a surau, kindergarten, multipurpose hall and playground.
“The cost of construction for the first phase of affordable housing here is priced at RM120,000 per unit, but we are selling these affordable houses at RM59,220 for a corner unit and RM50,400 for an intermediate unit,” said Abang Johari in his speech.
Also present was Assistant Minister of Housing Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, HDC chairman Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen, Muara Tuang assemblyman Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud, HDC chief executive officer Wan Mohd Yusop Wan Moss and Rubiah Wang, who is the BN candidate for Kota Samarahan in the May 5 general election.