Federal govt’s PPRT projects benefit 40 families in Puncak Borneo — MP

KUCHING: Forty families in Puncak Borneo have benefitted from the People’s Housing Project for Hardcore Poor (PPRT) programme, funded by the federal government last year.

Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin said last year, the Ministry of Rural Development had allocated almost RM1 million to implement PPRT projects in his constituency.

According to him, the PPRT is the federal government’s housing programme that provides financial assistance to the poor and destitute folk living in the rural areas, for them to repair their houses or build new ones.

The programme is also extended to those who do not own houses; instead they own land, which can be used to build their own houses – provided that they are registered with e-Kasih (aid programme run by Welfare Department) and belong to the hardcore poor group.

“Last year, we helped build five new houses and repair 35 dilapidated houses for families in Puncak Borneo, which covers Serembu, Mambong and Tarat state constituencies.

“Four of the five new houses were built in Serembu – one was built in Tarat,” he said.

Willie said of the 40 families who had benefitted from the PPRT, 21 were from Serembu, eight from Mambong, and 11 from Tarat.

He added that the implementation of the 40 PPRT projects had incurred total cost of RM956,000.

“I will continue to help many more poor families to have their dilapidated houses repaired and new houses built.

“I believe there are many more in my constituency who need this kind of assistance,” he said.

Willie said aside from the PPRT projects, he had helped endorse a total of 116 applications – 61 received from Tarat, 53 from Mambong, and two from Serembu – for the Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) units last year.

He said 70 of applicants had received keys to their houses, seven had withdrawn their applications, 23 had their applications rejected, and the rest of them were still pending approval.

“To those in need of the RMR units, I encourage them to come to my ( Puncak Borneo) service centre for consultation and assistance in sending their applications directly to the People’s Welfare Division of the Ministry of Rural Development,” he said.

Nevertheless, Willie also reminded potential RMR applicants to include land documents in their applications as the main criteria for approval was that the applicants must have land titles or grants or temporary occupation licences (TOL) from Land and Survey Department Sarawak.