KUCHING: Sarawak Minister of Housing and Urban Development Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg was glad that the Federal Government has allocated a total of RM568 million for the national housing projects under Budget 2011.
He said the big budget could help in reducing squatters’ problem in the country and to assist the people on house ownership.
Abang Johari said this when met by reporters after seeing off Muslim pilgrims at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) yesterday.
As stated in the 2011 Budget, tabled by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who is also the Finance Minister, the RM568 million allocation is for the building of 300 units of houses under Urban Housing Assistance Project (Projek Bantuan Perumahan Bandar), 79,000 units under People Housing Programme (Program Perumahan Rakyat) and a further 8,000 under House Rental Assistance Project (Projek Bantuan Sewa Rumah).
Touching on the RM6.9 billion allocation for the implementation of basic infrastructure in Sarawak and Sabah, Abang Johari said it would help to improve the standard of living of rural folks.
At the airport earlier on, Abang Johari reminded the pilgrims to look after their health and observe any regulations and instructions given by the Saudi Arabia authorities.
The pilgrims’ direct flight to Mecca took off at 7.30pm last night.