Study on ‘youth city’ to start next year — Abdul Rahman

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KOTA KINABALU: A study on the concept of developing a ‘youth city’ will start next year, says Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan yesterday.

According to him, an allocation has been provided to conduct the study, inspired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, to identify the location and size of the city, as well as facilities.

“The concept is still in its infancy. We need more time to ensure the idea is realised,” he told reporters after an interview for RTM radio programme, Ekspresi Sabah FM here.

Abdul Rahman said other ministries involved in the study were youth and sports, and the rural and regional development.

The latter will look into the construction of studio apartment or houses, effective transportation system and location of creative industry.

He said the ‘youth city’ would be developed, according to the likes of the youth, as 50 per cent of Malaysia’s population comprised those aged 40 and below.

He said ‘youth cities’ would be set up in Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsula.

In another development, Abdul Rahman said his ministry would be reviving abandoned housing projects with a RM2.015 billion allocation next year.

He said Sabah would receive the largest portion of the allocation with 16.43 per cent, followed by the federal territories and Johor, at nine per cent each.

“The total number of abandoned houses is not big. The total throughout the country is less than three per cent,” he noted. — Bernama