By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 5: Young couples in Sibu can look forward to a dedicated housing project in Kampung Teku, as the Sarawak government responds to the growing demand for affordable homes among newlyweds.
Speaking at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri gathering in Sibu last night (April 4), Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg welcomed the idea of developing a dedicated housing area in Kampung Teku for newly married couples — a proposal brought forward by Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.
“This is the first time I’ve heard the term ‘pasangan muda’ (young couples) used in reference to the Kampung Teku housing project — but no problem, we will proceed with the housing development,” he said. An audio recording of his speech was later made available to DayakDaily.
Earlier, Dr Annuar, who is also the Nangka assemblyman, had stressed the importance of housing for the local community and revealed that the Sarawak government had approved preliminary funding to begin planning the new housing area.
“I’m pleased to share that the Sarawak government has approved initial funding to plan a housing scheme in Teku specifically for young couples — that is, for newlyweds.
“I appeal to the Premier to help us implement this project as soon as possible,” he said.
At the same time, Dr Annuar expressed his gratitude to Abang Johari for approving the development of a new township in Kemuyang, where 800 houses will be built.
He added that Kemuyang would also feature comprehensive community facilities, including a grand mosque, a football field, and the first synthetic hockey pitch in the central region — all to be developed within the same area.
Dr Annuar also expressed deep gratitude to the State leadership for allocating hundreds of millions of ringgit for the redevelopment of Kampung Datu Lama, which includes preserving the traditional architectural style of Malay homes.
He also pointed to Kampung Datu Baru as another success story, where high-quality homes, valued at RM150,000, were made affordable with government support — something he said would be unimaginable without the State’s intervention. — DayakDaily
