The fight for affordable housing in Miri to continue – Dr Annuar

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Dr Annuar Rapaee

KUCHING: The Ministry of Local Government and Housing will continue to request for additional funding from the federal government for the construction of 278 untis of affordable housing in Permyjaya Tiga, Kuala Baram in Miri which has been postponed for nearly five years.

Assistant Minister of Housing and Public Health Dr Annuar Rapaee said so far there is no plan to implement the project that was approved by the State Planning Unit on Nov 10, 2016.

“The application for additional funds from the federal government is included in the third round of the 11th Malaysia Plan. However, the application has been rejected,” he said in reply to a question from Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting on the third day of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.

Ting said the project was launched in April, 2013 but has yet to be implemented despite five years of waiting.

The provision of more affordable homes in Miri is one of the goals that have been included in Ting’s five-year manifesto.

Dr Annuar revealed that a total of RM50 million is needed to make the project a success.

He added that there were also plans for 549 units of terrace houses, commercial areas and community facilities to be built at Permyjaya Tiga.

In this regard, Ting was urged to work with Miri MP Dr Michael Teo to bring more projects from the federal government to Miri.

According to Dr Annuar, Dr Teo in August has expressed his desire to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to build 8,000 affordable houses in Miri.

According to Dr Teo, the amount is equivalent to 10 per cent of the 20,000 houses promised to be constructed in Sarawak by the ministry which targeted for the construction of 1 million houses across the country within the period of five years.