The State Government, through the Local Government and Housing Ministry, on Wednesday received three completed People’s Housing Programme (PPR) projects – in Merotai, Tawau, Kota Marudu and Gayang 1, Tuaran – from the National Housing Department (JPN).

The projects which consisted of a total of 1,308 units were handed over by JPN Deputy Director-General Dr Alauddin Sidal to the Local Government and Housing Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hajah Masnah Matsalleh, in a ceremony held at the Ministry’s office in Wisma Innoprise, here.

Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Jaujan Sambakong, who witnessed the event, said the Merotai PPR consists of 470 units, Kota Marudu PPR (420) and Gayang 1 PPR (418). 

He said the three are part of 30 PPR projects which have been completed since 2001, adding another seven are currently under construction and three more still in the pipeline. 

“These 37 PPR projects, including the seven still under construction, have a total of 25,449 units,” he said. 

He thanked the Federal Government especially JPN, an agency under the federal Housing and Local Government Ministry, for Sabah being one of the states granted with a great number of PPR projects. 

He said the people of Sabah have long waited for such housing projects, as evidenced by the estimated 7,000 applications received from people for just the three newly-completed PPRs.

“There are about 7,000 applications for just these three newly-completed PPRs.  

“We already have the list of applicants, but we will need to do the vetting process to ensure only those truly qualified and fulfilled all the set requirements are given a unit.

“We will try to complete this process within a month. These will be only for people in the three said areas who have applied for it,” he told a press conference. 

On the requests for the PPR homes to be based on Rent-To-Own (RTO) concept rather than just for renting, Jaujan said the State Government through the Chief Minister has already forwarded the RTO proposal to the Federal Government for consideration. 

“We are now in the process of completing the terms for it to be brought up to the Federal Cabinet. I am confident that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will listen to their voices,” he said.