Govt strives to mitigate rising property prices

KUCHING: The value of realestate properties in major cities in Sarawak is influenced by market forces, and not by control of any party.

However, several initiatives have been implemented by the government via its policies aimed at reducing the financial burden of the people and also balancing out rising property prices, especially housing, says Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh.

“Among the policies are allowing the increase in density for housing developments implemented in main towns, building affordable houses like (those under) Spektra Lite and Spektra Medium (schemes) by the developer – if the project covers more than 10 acres, building affordable houses ( Bumiputera housing units) if the housing project comprises ‘ reclassification of land from native area land to mixed zone land’, and fixing the prices of affordable houses ( Spektra Lite, Spektra Medium, and Bumiputera housing units) to assist the target groups,” he told the august House yesterday, in responding to Datuk Sebastian Ting’s ( SUPP-Piasau) question about the government’s policies with regard to land development in major urban centres in Sarawak like Kuching, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu slated for controlling rising land and property prices that burden the people directly.

Furthermore Len, who is Kuala Rajang assemblyman, added that housing area density in places like Kuching, Kota Samarahan and Miri has increased from eight units per acre to 10 units per acre for normal houses, and from 20 units to 30 units per acre for apartments and condominiums.

“For prices of Spektra Lite houses, they are between RM100,000 and RM120,000 ( per unit), Spektra Medium houses are RM135,000 to RM168,000 ( per unit), and the Bumiputera housing units are RM150,000 to RM198,000 ( per unit),” he added.

Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment