Thousands of People’s Housing Project (PPR) occupants in Sabah will soon be able to buy these units following approval from the Federal Government to convert the rent-to-own scheme.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, who disclosed this, said the State Government applied to have the lifetime rental policy for the PPR units stopped and converted into hire-purchase concept.

She said approval has been given, in principle, to the Sabah Government for the some 30 PPR units in the State. Each PPR unit has homes numbering up to several hundred in some areas. 

“The Chief Minister has asked for 30 PPR units in Sabah to have its rental policy converted, which we have given our approval,” she said, after officiating the handing over of certificates for setting up the Firefighting and Rescue (Bomba) Community Teams for nine parliamentary areas at the State Fire and Rescue Department headquarters, Tuesday. 

Also present were State Fire and Rescue Department Director Kamarulzaman Malik Abdullah and senior officials.

Earlier, Zuraida had a closed-door discussion with Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (Shareda) and Local Government and Housing Ministry at Wisma Innoprise here on Tuesday.

On whether Sabah will be getting more funds to build PPR units in Sabah, she said it would be discussed in an upcoming workshop to streamline housing activities and projects in Sabah to be held early next month.

“During our discussion (on Tuesday), the meeting (with State Local Government and Housing Ministry and Shareda) has decided that there will be a workshop to be held early September to discuss all housing matters including PPR issues. 

This workshop is vital considering that Sabah has its own housing law and there will also be a new policy to be introduced by the Federal Government for the affordable housing scheme,” Zuraida said.

On the PPR Kionsom project, which has long been incomplete and rescued by a new developer, she said the total cost of completing the 500 units is RM12 million and is expected to finish by next year.

Presently, she said there is a slight technical problem in the PPR Kionsom whereby the developer could not fulfil new criteria for replacement goods which the State Government has asked for the goods to have Sirim (Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia) compliance which may cost increase of prices in the materials.

Therefore, her Ministry will request for an exception so that the developer could follow the old specifications to make the replacement goods.