KUCHING: The Sarawak government is aiming to achieve zero squatters status in the state by 2025.
Assistant Urban Development and Resources Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh said efforts to address issues pertaining to squatters were not only focused in urban areas, but also rural areas.
“We held a meeting last November to identify specific data accompanied by a detailed briefing on squatter problems in urban areas such as Kuching, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu.
“In the meeting chaired by Sarawak Squatter Management and Solving Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, we also agreed to broaden this effort to several other areas such as Sarikei, Betong, Bintangor and Kapit,” said Len Talif, who is also the committee’s deputy chairman.
He said this at a press conference after officiating at the Engineered Timber Products Seminar 2020 at a hotel here, on Monday (Dec 7).
He revealed that the state government had drafted and was implementing several special programmes to address this problem.
“Among the programmes implemented are allocation of existing vacant housing units under the People’s Housing Project (PPR) and People’s Housing Plan (RPR) to be rented to squatters who apply and meet certain criteria.
“Besides that, the government has also allocated a minimum of 20 per cent of newly owned PPR units developed by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT).
“The government has also allocated 20 per cent of the Spektra Permata housing units developed on Housing Development Corporation (HDC) land.”
Len Talif also stressed that each of the initiatives would be accompanied by the provision of complete infrastructure under the Resettlement Scheme (SPS) and the Village Expansion Scheme (SPK).
“This includes lot paving works, paving of roads, upgrading drains to concrete, providing water and electricity supply as well as telecommunication services.
“All these infrastructures are important to ensure the comfort of the people, especially squatters when getting new houses.”
Commenting further on the importance of telecommunication services, Len Talif said it was part of the state’s digital economy initiatives as well as to develop the local economy in the future.
