Handout combo-photo shows the transformation of Rumah Changgai in Ulu Niah, Miri from ‘before’ (left image) to the ‘after’ – thanks to HDC’s individual longhouse loan programme.
KUCHING (May 28): The Housing Development Corporation (HDC)’s individual longhouse loan programme has benefited more than 20,000 ‘pintu’ (doors, or household units of a longhouse) through 909 projects implemented throughout Sarawak since its inception.
The scheme comes in the form of building materials, with maximum loan worth of RM30,000 per door – without interest.
HDC chief executive officer Mohamad Asman Ahmad said the application forms for the loan could be downloaded via https://hdc.sarawak.gov.my/.
He also said the Sarawak government had allocated RM100 million for this scheme over the last two years through the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government.
“Apart from being subject to the application criteria, the applying longhouse must be on a valid land site with a minimum of 10 doors. Priority is given to new applicants who have housing sites and road facilities, which are important in avoiding any delay in transporting the building materials, which should be delivered within six months after an application is approved,” he said in a statement.
In this regard, Mohamad Asman expressed HDC’s hope that the longhouse residents would cooperate in repaying the loans to ensure that the scheme could benefit other applicants.
“Payments can now be made via JomPay, Virtual Account, BIMB Merchant and UTC (Urban transformation Centre) counters, as well as the payment counters at all HDC offices and HDC scheduled mobile counters.”
Majid Salok, 58, the longhouse chieftain of Tengalat Baru Klua Krian in Saratok, said the new building materials used such as the concrete bricks and spandex roofs were stronger than the old materials, which were wooden structures and zinc roofs.
Also in his statement, Mohamad Asman thanked all the elected representatives involved for their cooperation in ensuring that the programme would achieve its targets.