PUTATAN: More houses need to be built in the district to meet the growing demand of the people here, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin said.
The Petagas assemblyman pointed out that many people prefer to reside in Putatan because of its strategic location.
“We expect that more people from other districts, including those in rural Sabah, will migrate to Putatan and live here which is why there is an urgent need to build more houses,” Yahya told reporters after inspecting the Kampung Ketiau People Housing Program (PPR) project yesterday.
In view of this, Yahya urged the government, both state and federal, to build at least 5,000 more homes in Putatan so that future demand for housing can be met.
According to him, the current demand is about 3,000 but the number will increase over the years when more and more people ‘migrate’ to the district.
On the PPR project, Yahya said once the Kampung Ketiau project and another in Meruntum are completed by 2015, there will be about 2,000 units available for the people there.
Priority will be given to local squatters who do not own houses, he said, adding that the PPR will be rented out by the District Office.
“This PPR project in Kampung Ketiau comprises 696 units with a total cost of RM127.5 million. It is expected to be completed by April 2015. At the moment the progress is 10 days delayed but overall I am happy with the progress,” he said.
Yahya also expressed confidence that the contractor, Syarikat Kumpulan Kemajuan KK (Sabah) JV Teraxis Construction Sdn Bhd, will be able to make up for the lost time and complete the project on schedule.
The only issue that Yahya had with the project was the proposed location of the PPR surau as it is too near to the road reserve meant for a bypass that will link Lok Kawi to Inanam, thus reducing the traffic congestion in the state capital.
“I have asked the contractor to find another location for the surau to avoid any inconveniences in the future once the bypass project takes off,” he said, adding that this has been listed in the 12th Malaysia Plan.
