State-owned mortgage establishment to finance purchase of affordable houses in new housing policy
Abang Johari (centre) hammering a piling column to symbolically launch the first 26 units of SPEKTRA houses located some 10km from Lundu Town yesterday together with Uggah (second left) and Rohani (right) in the presence of assistant ministers and assemblymen. Also seen on the left is Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah. — Photo by Chimon Upon
LUNDU: Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg launched two-pronged housing policy which offers affordable houses through ‘Skim Perumahan Khas Rakyat’ (SPEKTRA) here yesterday.
The purchase of these houses will be financed by the newly created state-owned finance establishment ‘Mutiara Mortgage and Finance’.
He said the houses built under this policy will be similar to those built for the re-settlers at the Bengoh Resettlement Scheme (BRS).
“The houses will be built similar to those in BRS, which will be concrete houses to be built on stilts. So once a household expands the owner can cover the ground floor and the whole house will become a bungalow,” Abang Johari said at the launching of the first 26 units of SPEKTRA houses located some 10km from Lundu Town yesterday.
Additionally, he also announced a new financing establishment called ‘Mutiara Mortgage and Finance’ which will assist these house buyers, who find it difficult to get loans from existing banks.
“The whole idea why we set up this new housing policy and new finance establishment is to assist our people to own decent homes. Right now, even some teachers can’t get housing loans from banks.”
He dislcosed that ‘Mutiara Mortgage and Finance’ was established with a rolling capital of RM50 million.
“But when we provide this kind of financing loan to the people, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have to service their loans. It acts like a bank. So we must service the loans otherwise we will not be able to proceed with the next housing projects which will be implemented somewhere else,” he pointed out.
Abang Johari who is also the Minister of Housing, assured the people that the State Government will build similar houses in other areas throughout the state to meet the increasing demand for affordable houses.
“We will build similar houses for the people of Sg Asap as requested by the people there. And since Belaga Assemblyman and Assistant Minister of River Transport Liwan Lagang is here with us, he can tell the people of Sg Asap of the good news,” said Abang Johari.
The chief minister said Sarawak has come up with the innovative idea as the present affordable houses provided by the Federal Government were single storey houses which might not be practical.
“We are not against the Federal Government but we are just trying to be innovative and creative to suit our needs,” he said.
Abang Johari reiterated that as the sixth Chief Minister of Sarawak he will continue the policy of the late Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
“As he had already set the negotiation process for greater autonomy based on the Malaysian Agreement of 1963 (MA63) I will continue his efforts on this issue. But one thing for sure is that we will never ask for independence but we will be in Malaysia forever,” he said, with a thunderous response from the crowd.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari revealed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will announce something special for Sarawak soon.
“I am reluctant to reveal it, let the Prime Minister announce it soon,” he said, stressing that it has something to do with greater autonomy for Sarawak under the MA63.
Among those present at the function were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, State Cabinet ministers and Federal Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rohani Karim.