File photo of Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf and Chen Yao Ran (right).
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to witness a historic Heads of Agreement (HoA) signing ceremony between Sarawak-based Green Modular R & R Sdn Bhd (Smart Holding) and Foshan Conceiving Board-Manufacturing Co Ltd (CBM) in Guangzhou, China on March 23.
Smart Home is subsidiary of Sarawak Housing Development Corporation (HDC).
According to its chairman Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen, the HoA would be a milestone in the development of affordable houses in Sarawak.
“With the HoA signing, we hope it will be able to stabilise the cost of affordable and low cost houses in the state and to realise the state government’s plan to build 50,000 units of affordable apartments or houses under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (2016-2020),” Abang Abdul Rauf told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He said the HoA would enable CBM to transfer its technology to Sarawak to build modular housing to ensure that the prices of affordable and low cost houses would be stabilised and perhaps could even be reduced by at least 15 per cent.
“The HoA will be historical for the housing industry in Sarawak as it will be the culmination of Datuk Amar Abang Johari’s efforts, who made a similar trip to CBM in June, 2014, to explore and source for cost-effective construction method and materials in the development of affordable housing projects and to learn from China’s success in the development of its affordable housing,” he said.
Dr Abang Abdul Rauf added that once the joint-venture project between Sarawak’s Smart Holding and CBM materialised, it would bring a new chapter in the local housing industry as it would be able to sell affordable houses even to neighbouring countries.
“The so-called trick of the game is to achieve the volume, which depends on demand. If the demand is high, we can increase the volume and therefore, we will be able to stabilise the prices of low-cost and affordable houses for our people.”
Dr Abang Abdul Rauf also said the joint-venture project would allow the supply of technology and source for the machinery necessary for green modular to set up plant to undertake the manufacturing of modular housing.
“The JV will also provide the necessary training to the plant workers to enable them to undertake the manufacturing process of modular housing,” he added.
The HoA will be signed by Abang Rauf on behalf of Smart Home and chairman and chief executive officer of CBM, Chen Yao Ran.
Dr Abang Abdul Rauf said besides the signing of the HoA, the high-powered delegation consisting of 60 state government officials and players from the private housing sector, would go on a study tour to Hong Kong and China from March 21-29.
Among those expected to join the trip are the chief minister’s wife Datin Amar Dato Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Minister for Urbanisation Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister for Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment Dr Wan Lizosman Wan Omar, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Urbanisation Datuk Sudarsono Osman, BDC chairman Datuk Peter Nansian, LCDA general manager Datu Sajeli Kipli, chairman of Daya Builders Sdn Bhd Ibrahim Baki, DBKU Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahab Abang Julai, Sheda Kuching chairman Dr Christopher Ngui, Sheda chairman Joseph Wong Kee Liong and Sheda advisor and general manager of HWS Development Sdn Bhd Datuk William Wei.