TO build more homes for Malaysians, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin today said state governments can provide land for the purpose under her National Housing Policy.

She said state governments also must play their roles in assisting her ministry to build more low-cost houses, noting the Pakatan Harapan manifesto includes plans to build one million houses in 10 years nationwide.

“We feel the state governments must play their role and be equally responsible in preparing homes by giving land for the rakyat in their respective state.

“They should not just leave it to the federal ministry to find and buy the land, which will be very costly and will be absorbed into the cost of the housing.

“With the state handing over lands for free, this will greatly reduce the cost of building the houses,” she told reporters after attending a housing briefing for Sepanggar folks by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall, today.

It is also Zuraida’s maiden visit as minister to Sabah.

Present were Sepanggar MP Azis Jamman, Kota Kinabalu Mayor Yeo Boon Hai, Inanam assemblyman Kenny Chua and also former assemblyman Terrence Siambun.

Crediting the idea to City Hall officers in the state, Zuraida also said the housing proposals must come from the state government and thereafter, presented to the federal government to build the homes.

Zuraida, however, noted the policy may not be used for the whole country, but only for Sabah, as other states have called for flexible approaches on the housing policy.

On the briefing, Zuraida said the Kota Kinabalu mayor has proposed a 4ha land in Kg Sabang in Sepanggar, some 30km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sepanggar has the largest number of squatters in Sabah, numbering to around over 20,000.

She, however, said Sepanggar folk have to wait until she launches her National Housing Policy by the end of the year.

Still, Zuraida said it will be much easier for Sabah as all the paperwork to deal with the squatters issue has already been prepared. – August 12, 2018.