Sheda pledges to support government’s call to provide more affordable housing
KUCHING: Members of the Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers Association ( Sheda) will continue to give their support to the government’s proposal to provide more affordable housing to those in the low and middle income groups.
Sheda president Joseph Wong Kee Liong said since helming the post in 2015, he had made it clear that Sheda was not in the position to object to the government’s initiative on affordable housing.
“We would like to assist both the federal and state government respectively to intensify these affordable housing programmes,” said Wong during the Sheda annual dinner and Excellence Awards 2017 presentation at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Saturday.
He added that a lab was held on Aug 4 this year for Sheda to clarify and obtain feedback on the proposed PR1MA Equal Treatment Affordable Housing Scheme.
“Now, Sheda is waiting for the approval from the State Planning Authority on the proposed scheme. If the proposal is approved, Sheda members will commit to build 20,000 units of affordable houses throughout Sarawak in the next five years,” said Wong.
He added that each unit will cost RM250,000 to RM300,000.
On the lab, he said it was held because Sarawakian developers appeared to be not equally treated as PRIMA developers as far as the planning guidelines were concerned.
“Sheda believes that all developers whether PR1MA or non-PR1MA should be given equal treatment as Sheda members are able to deliver quality affordable housing without any subsidy assistance from the government,” he added, stressing that equal treatment would promote healthy competition and increase supply of houses.
“Since then, Sheda has been actively raising the issue of affordable housing with the state government. We are fortunate that the chief minister ( Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) and his relevant ministry’s permanent secretaries are very attentive to our suggestions,” he added.
Meanwhile, the coveted Sheda Property Man of the Year 2017 award went to Ibraco Berhad’s managing director Datuk Chew Chiaw Han who has played an integral part in the development of properties in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur.
Merit Award for Landed Development ( Residential) was awarded to CMS Property Development Sdn Bhd, which was received by their chief executive officer/executive director Vincent Kueh Hoi Chuang for their project – Rivervale Residences in Kuching.
The Commendation Award for Commercial ( Shophouses) went to Distrepark Sdn Bhd and received by their director Mohamad Fadzil Abdul Hamid for their project – Sapphire East in Sibu.
Also present at the awards night were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian and Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office ( Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip.