TAWAU, Nov 24 — All the People’s Housing Projects (PPR) units in Sabah must be occupied within six months from the date of completion.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the delay in occupying the units could cause damage or defect to the property.

“So after this, we want that within six months, every completed unit must be occupied and the process of selection (of applicants) must be carried out in advance,” she said.

She said this to reporters after presenting the letter of offer to PPR unit recipients in Taman Sri Bukit Tawau, Jalan Merotai near here today.

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In the meantime, she wanted the applications for PPR units to be carefully reviewed to prevent unqualified people from benefiting.

“We hear (for example) in Sabah there are people selling the forms, so we want to make sure only those eligible applying for it,” she said.

Zuraida also encouraged private developers including those in Tawau to join the government to build affordable housing for the people.

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“In Tawau, 10,000 applicants are in need of a home, which is why we hope private developers are involved, and they can adopt the rent-to-own (RTO) scheme which is to sell the units to tenants with a good payment record after five years.

“I also recommend that the state government to adopt the RTO scheme,” she said, adding that two more PPR projects would be constructed in Melalap and Sandakan next year.

Meanwhile, the 10-year wait for for visually-impaired Mad Bulansing Sulang, 59, has finally ended after he was selected as one of the eligible recipients to receive an offer letter of a housing unit in PPR Taman Sri Bukit Tawau.

“I have applied for a PPR unit in Taman Sri Titingan as well as in Sri Apas and Semarak but I am not qualified,” said the father of eight children, aged 13 to 27.

Working as a labourer, Mad Bulansing was earning about RM1,100 a month and currently living with his wife and eight children in a unit of workers’ quarters (rumah kongsi) provided by the Sabah Softwood Berhad.

“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), I am very grateful to be offered this unit,” he said excitedly.

Being a trained and active member of the Tawau Blind Society, Mad Bulansing, who would retire next year, however, was confident that he would be able to pay for the house rent with money from other income. — Bernama