KUCHING, June 24 — State Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian today denied claims by his federal counterpart, Zuraida Kamaruddin, that the state government has yet to hand over lands to her ministry for the construction of affordable housing projects.
He said the state Housing Development Corporation (HDC) presented 10 pieces of state lands to her ministry when she visited Sarawak in June last year.
Dr Sim said the state land, involving a total of 495 hectares, was for the construction of 12,000 units of affordable housing in various parts of the state.
“Until today, none has been approved by the new federal government,” Dr Sim said.
“Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg then decided that the state government (is) to undertake the construction of 2,500 units of affordable houses on the 10 pieces of lands,” he said
Dr Sim added that the state government had also decided to continue with the Tabuan Melayu housing project, which was withdrawn from the federal ministry’s project list under the new Pakatan Harapan government.
He said the state government had also decided to take over the construction of affordable housing project in Miri from the federal ministry.
He said the state government is fully aware of the federal ministry’s affordable housing project on private land in Sarawak, including one in Seduan, Sibu and in Matang, near here.
He said the projects in Seduan and Matang are not on the HDC’s project list.
“I hope that (the) federal government can work together with state government so that we can carry the shared responsibilities under the concurrent list of Federal Constitution,” Dr Sim said.
At a press conference in Sibu yesterday, Zuraida told reporters that the Sarawak state government had yet to hand over lands to her ministry for the construction of affordable housing projects.
She had said other states, however, had already given lands to her ministry.
Zuraida hoped that the state government would work together with the federal government to build affordable houses in the state.
