Sabah low-cost houses too slow
Published on: Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Likas Assemblyman, Junz Wong has criticised the slow government initiatives in building low-cost housing despite its dire needs in Sabah. Wong said the Local Housing Ministry has confirmed during the last State Assembly sitting that Sabah's need for low-cost houses was still high with as many as 20,000 applications received for just 500 available PPR units. "Then is the government initiatives to build low cost housing not done with a sense of urgency? Many have been announced but in actual fact, most have not even taken off yet," he said.
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Even for the PR1MA projects, which the government had promised to build 80,000 houses ranging between RM100,000 and RM400,000 for Sabah, none of them had taken off yet. "There were many plans and proposals to build over 7,000 units of houses in KK areas and 1,750 units of houses in Sandakan but none has materialised.Wong who is also DAP Sabah Organising Secretary also wondered why the PPA1M, which is for the civil service personnel, housing scheme project has also not taken off yet. "If I have not mistaken, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman himself has announced the project of 2,000 units of PPA1M houses to be built in Tuaran.
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"What action would be taken to resolve the procrastination process of the Local Government and Housing Ministry given that the development plan of PPA1M has been submitted 30 months ago as per Shareda property report and still not approved yet?" he asked. Wong questioned the purpose of the Sabah Housing and Town Development Authority (SHTDA) to build low cost housing as its chairman has openly admitted that it could not survive without selling lands or joint venture with private developers due to high administrative costs.
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"So how is SHTDA going to play the leading role of building low cost houses below RM250,000 in Sabah?"Is that why LPPB has to take away people's open space to build 500 PPR units in expense of the people's interests; that is the Sport & Recreation areas in Kepayan ridge? "I mean how can the Minister claim there is such huge shortfall of low cost housing then pick a playing field in an up market neighborhood to satisfy need because they have failed to build more affordable houses?Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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