SIBU, Oct 12: About 2,000 houses need to be built for residents affected by the Sibu Urban Renewal Plan, says Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Speaking at the presentation of the Housing Deposit Assistance Scheme (HDAS) and Mutiara Rumah Spektra Housing Programme today, the Deputy Premier of Sarawak said this urban renewal plan is a complicated one that will cover a total land size of 500 acres.
As the residents will be displaced due to the project, some 2,000 houses need to be constructed for them.
“This master plan is an early stage of planning covering more than 500 acres of land involving more than 2,000 houses. And we will need to build affordable houses for these people or else they will have no place to stay,” he said.
He further said that the GPS government needs to act as fast as possible, including planning for the housing needs of the people affected.
“I also have asked the EPU (Economic Planning Unit) to help us to look at the cost of building houses. Do a study on all aspects; labour cost and cement cost and so on. Our Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg really wants to address this,” he stressed.
Another master plan would involve solving the perennial flood problem here, Dr Sim said.
“As for the third master plan, we have the LCDA (Land Custody and Development Authority), while Abang Johari visited Singapore and we have engaged a company called Rainbow. This company specialises in handling floods,” he said.
Dr Sim said lakes covering 50 acres of land need to be constructed as a permanent solution to the flood problem here.
“We can build bunds, we can dredge the river but if it rains, where will the rainwater go? It will flow to the river and it will overflow into the town. So you need to have a lake. Of the 500 acres, 50 acres will allocated for the construction of lakes,” he stressed.
Dr Sim added that Abang Johari had visited Sibu twice in order to address this problem and said a minimum of RM1 billion would be required for the flood mitigation project. — DayakDaily
