KOTA KINABALU – Sabah is unable to go all out to provide affordable housing to its people due to the scarcity of vacant land as well as high construction cost.
Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun admitted that the state has not done well in providing affordable housing for Sabahans as it is hampered by various issues.
“However this problem is not new and this has been going on involving the past Sabah governments. We could have done better on this matter if we had noticed the problem much earlier,” said Masidi, adding that the prices of homes hinges on the prices and availability of land.
In Kota Kinabalu for instance, Masidi said there is barely any vacant land and the government had to look for land in districts located at the edge of the Kota Kinabalu district like Papar and Tuaran.
Masidi was responding to a question from Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang-DAP) on the government’s plans to provide affordable homes for the B40 groups in Sabah, and young families.
Under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan, Masidi said Sabah’s Housing and Urban Development Board, an agency under his ministry, is currently building 175 house units, of which 100 units are in Merotai, Tawau, while 32 units are in Sook and another 43 units in Ulu Dusun in Sandakan.
The houses are expected to be completed in 2021 and built at a cost of RM26.45 million and they are funded by the Sabah Government, said Masidi, adding that the houses would be sold at a price of between RM42,000 and RM47,000.
Under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, the board will build another 175 units – 50 units in Sukau, 50 units in Melalap in Tenom, and 25 units in Beluran. – The Vibes, December 21, 2020
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