KUCHING: The National Housing Department will build 1,500 public housing units under Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) in eight locations across Sarawak this year.

Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan
said this was in addition to the other public housing projects being undertaken here.

“It is estimated that 2,000 more units will be built next year,” he told a press conference when breaking fast w

ith personnel from Petra Jaya Fire and Rescue Department here on Tuesday.

Orphans from Laila Taib Welfare Complex, Fire and Rescue Department state director Nor Hisham Mohammad, Women’s Bureau director Noriah Ahmad and Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah were also present.

Abdul Rahman, however, said the state government had put forward its views on the need for more affordable and low-cost housing projects in Sarawak during a meeting with Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem earlier in the day.

During the courtesy call, Abdul Rahman and his deputy Datuk Halimah Mohamad Sadique briefed Adenan on the ministry’s major policies involving Sarawak.

“Providing affordable and low-cost housing is a universal problem that has become a matter of concern for every state government, including Sarawak,” he said.

“We are here to get feedback from the Sarawak government and to learn more about issues surrounding housing-related problems prior to implementation,” he added.

Noting the geographical position of Sarawak, Abdul Rahman said it was crucial for the ministry to get local and relevant views before identifying suitable locations for public housing projects.

“I will forward the state government’s requests to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak so that he will consider giving more allocation to carry out public housing projects here,” he said.

“In addition, I will also extend the views on various issues and proposal raised to Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) and Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) during the national housing meeting later and to advise them to engage the state government before finalising the locations of public housing projects,” he said.