Abg Jo: Housing Ministry to be restructured

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Abang Johari (third right) joins the ‘Ngirup Ai Pengayu’ toast led by organising chairman Jonathan Lapok Anggat (second right).

KUCHING: The Housing Ministry will be restructured to enable it to undertake new housing programmes, including those to be implemented with ‘new partner’ 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) Berhad.

Its minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said this was consequent to the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Ordinance, 2013 passed by the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) last November that gave the ministry additional tasks.

He also explained that the restructuring was also aimed at, amongst others, to complement the working relationship between state and federal governments, particularly in implementation of housing programmes.

“The working paper has been presented to the State Secretary to set up new divisions within the ministry to make sure national and state housing policies will be properly implemented,” he told newsmen after he officiated the Housing Development Corporation (HDC)’s Ngiling Bidai at Wisma Sultan Tengah yesterday.

On the working relationship with PR1MA, he explained this will be implemented using the current state’s housing laws even though the PR1MA Act 2012 cannot be applied in Sarawak.

For a start, he said two areas had been identified for affordable housing projects under PR1MA, namely in Matang and Petra Jaya for implementation in the ‘nearest future’.

“The projects are awaiting approval from SPA (State Planning Authority,” said Abang Johari, adding the houses to be built by PR1MA are among the 50,000 new houses to be built by the government in Sarawak under the 11th Malaysian Plan (11MP).

PR1MA, launched by Prime Minister on July 4 in 2011, has so far been implemented only in the Peninsular.

Under the PR1MA Act 2012, PR1MA is to develop high-quality housing with lifestyle
concepts for middle income househilds in key urban areas, and open to those with monthly household income between RM2,500 to RM7,500.

Earlier, in his speech, he told the audience to brace for the restructuring which could take effect starting next year as the role played by the ministy is now getting more challenging.

He said the ministry, its agency HDC, and HDC’s subsidiary Daya Builders Sdn Bhd, have been tasked not just to build more affordable houses, but also implement Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) housing and build the new longhouse concept scheme.

He, nonetheless, praised the ministry and HDC for their ‘Segulai, Sejalai’ spirit in facing the challenges, and he hoped they would continue to work as one team with one heart to ensure successful implementation of housing policies.

He also announced that Wisma Sultan Tengah would be installed with high-speed Internet under Unifi to ensure speedier exchange of information between the ministry or HDC with its clients for smoother implementation of housing projects.

Also present yesterday were the ministry’s assistant ministers Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, HDC chairman Datuk Dr Abang Rauf Abang Zen and chief executive officer Wan Mohd Yusop Wan Moss, and also Daya Builders chairman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.