Ministry urged to build more PPR units in Sandakan

SANDAKAN: Member of Parliament for Sandakan, Vivian Wong said the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) must utilise its budget for 2021 to build more People’s Housing Project (PPR) to tackle the illegal squatter problem in the district.

Vivian said this after taking part in the committee stage debate for the KPKT’s 2021 budget, in which she highlighted to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Zuraida Kamaruddin, the urgent need for more public housing units in Sandakan.

“Based on a government survey carried out in 2018, Sandakan registered the highest number of squatters in the State, with over 34 thousand locals living in squatter colonies throughout the district.

“These squatters have no access to clean water supply and the living condition is cramped and unhygienic, making them to be a hot bed for spreading Covid19 and other diseases,” she said.

She said under the 2021 Budget for KPKT, RM500 million is allocated under PPR.

Phase 2 for PPR Batu Putih Sandakan as well as phase 2 for PPR Lupak Meluas Batu Sapi have yet to be carried out, long after their original planned date.

“Hence, I hope the ministry will expedite these public housing projects in Sandakan to resolve the worsening squatter issues here.

“In addition, I urge the minister to utilise the RM20 million allocated to complete the two Prima Housing Projects in Sandakan, which have experienced severe delay with no completion in sight.

“The Prima Borneo Cove is only about 99 percent completed, while the Prima @ Sandakan City Centre is only about 60 percent completed. The government must intervene before these abandoned buildings being turned into a ghost town,” she added.