KOTA SAMARAHAN: The comparatively cheaper cost of residential homes has significantly contributed to the town’s fast-growing population, currently estimated at 300,000.
Datuk Peter Minos, chairman of Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS), said the prices of residential homes here were cheaper by more than 10 percent compared to in Kuching city.
“A standard three-bedroom house here is priced at slightly over RM300,000,” he said during a courtesy visit by senior editors of New Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak led by their chief executive officer Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir.
Minos, who, recently, had his term of office extended by another two years, was giving updates regarding current and upcoming development projects here.
The purpose of the courtesy visit was to foster closer ties between the two local dailies and the local council.
He said to-date there were some 50,000 residential homes excluding shopping malls, shop lots and offices.
“I can honestly Kota Samarahan is booming rapidly with fast-growing population as compared to what it was 15 years ago. Cheaper cost of houses, aside from rapid urbanisation, is one of the factors,” he added.
Minos said the local council is expecting more residential housing development projects and others will take place in Kota Samarahan.
He expressed hope for Kota Samarahan to emerge as a better city than Kuching in the future.
“Our vision is to ultimately be better than Kuching. Kota Samarahan has the potential because we can plan and we have got the space.
“I have been with MPKS for seven years and I can say that developments are taking place left and right here. Moreover, property developers have many land reserves and the houses here are 10 per cent cheaper compared to those in Kuching,” he said.
Also present were New Sarawak Tribune Managing Editor Aden Nagrace, New Sarawak Tribune Executive Editor Harry Henry Julin, Corporate Business Division Senior Manager Dorge Rajah, Suara Sarawak Chief Reporter Nick Fletcher and New Sarawak Tribune Deputy Chief Reporter Sarah Hafizah Chandra.
