Zuraida to be first PH minister to visit Sarawak tomorrow

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Zuraida Kamaruddin

KUCHING: Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, who was previously barred from entering Sarawak, will be making her first official visit here as Housing and Local Government Minister.

According to her tentative itinerary, the PKR Women chief is scheduled to depart from Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 11am on June 20.

On the following day, she is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian before proceeding with a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

She is also scheduled to make an official visit to Padawan Muncipal Council (PMC) at Mile 10 as well as conduct a site visit to PPR Sungai Tengah, before concluding with an official visit to the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) headquarters here.

She is slated to return to Kuala Lumpur after the Bomba visit. Zuaida will be the first minister from the new federal government to visit Sarawak since Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over Putrajaya from Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 14th general election. Prior to PH coming to power, she was among several PH leaders who had been barred from entering Sarawak.

The last time Zuraida was denied entry to Sarawak was when she landed in Miri on Sept 23 last year. She was first refused entry into the state in 2013, followed by a second time a year later.

In 2016, she was again barred from entering when she wanted to help PKR candidates in the Sarawak election.

However, following PH’s victory in GE14, the Sarawak government lifted the entry ban imposed on PH leaders who had been appointed as Cabinet ministers. The lifting of the ban was confirmed by Sarawak Immigration director Ken Leben on May 23.

Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and Transport Minister Anthony Loke are among other PH leaders who are now able to enter Sarawak.

Zuraida’s visit to Sarawak is expected to bring good news of affordable housing as PH is committed to upholding the promises made in its GE14 manifesto to deliver one million affordable homes in Malaysia to help the people, especially youths, own their first home.

PH has also pledged to improve the country’s housing policy including having a special housing loan scheme.