KUCHING: Two major flood mitigation projects in the state – each in Kuching and Sibu – should reach full completion by 2025.
According to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, project costs for the current phases are RM150 million for Kuching and RM100 million for Sibu.
It is learnt that the Kuching project is still in the drawing stage due to several changes as some areas have been taken over by the state government like the Central Padang; on the other hand, the Sibu project is awaiting launching date, which is to be decided by the Chief Minister’s Office.
“I will personally discuss with the Chief Minister on the suitable date for the project launch (in Sibu) – the latest in October.
“These projects will benefit 40,000 people in Sibu and 94,000 people in Kuching. It is a big development that we are waiting for. The one in Kuching is in Phase 2, while the Sibu project is Phase 3,” Wan Junaid – also Santubong MP – told reporters after handing over low-cost housing certificates to 15 individuals at his parliamentary constituency service centre here yesterday.
The minister said the Sibu project could reach completion sooner than Kuching.
“The total costs for the projects are RM1.8 billion for Kuching and RM800 million for Sibu.”
He said the Kuching project would include the construction of a 8km canal from Sungai Salak to Matang and Sungai Sarawak, where the excess water would be channelled out to Sungai Salak.
On a separate subject, Wan Junaidi reminded village headmen and local community leaders to conduct background checks on those applying for the low-cost housing scheme before handing out supporting documents.
This, he said, is to ensure that those eligible and deserving would receive the assistance. He believed that there are ‘opportunists’ wanting to grab the aid, which has a big amount set aside for it.
“It is best that they (village headmen and local community leaders) know the requirements for the scheme so they can inform the applicants beforehand; this is to prevent those who are not eligible from waiting too long for a response.”
The scheme’s requirements include the applicant’s monthly household income being RM3,000 and below; not having a house of his own or if he does, the one occupied by his family is in dilapidated condition; and having own land to build the house on. Applications from those who already have decent houses will be rejected.
Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) Sarawak branch communications officer Wan Habeeb Alli Wan Yep Mohdzar said for the 15 approved recipients here, the federal government had provided a subsidy of RM300,000 or RM20,000 per house.
The state government, on the other hand, covers RM180,000 for the repayment or RM12,000 per house.
“One unit costs RM68,000. After the subsidies, the home owners would not need to pay as much.”
According to Wan Habeeb, SPNB has received over 4,000 applications from Sarawak and from this figure, 1,739 have been approved. Out of the approved ones, 986 units have reached completion, 162 are still under construction, while the remaining 591 are still in documentation process.
The highest number of applications is from Santubong at 854. From this amount, 174 were rejected as the applicants were either existing home-owners or had monthly household income exceeding RM3,000.
Later at the function, Wan Junaidi presented an allocation of RM20,000 to Masjid Darul Sohilin Telaga Air.