Sarawak studied the affordable housing formula belonging to M40

BALINGIAN, 3 Oct: The Sarawak Government is reviewing a special housing formula for the middle-income (M40) group to ensure that they also have access to affordable housing.

Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the study included determination of suitable types of houses as well as construction costs to determine price range affordable for those concerned.

"We are now studying how we want to build houses for the M40s because they are middle class and we are now doing a calculation of house types as well as costs, meaning which range, so that they can also buy homes", he said.

He said this in a press conference after the Key Delivery Meeting for Project House Spectrum Jewelry at SPK Division Balingian Phase 1 today.

According to Brother Johari, Bintulu was chosen as the location of the pioneering project due to the high number of M40s, including executives who needed accommodation in accordance with their abilities.

He said that if the housing formula is successfully implemented in Bintulu, the same approach could potentially be extended to other urban areas in Sarawak, especially Kuching, Miri and Sibu.

He said that among the main challenges of providing housing in urban areas are high land costs as well as lack of new locations due to the existing development density.

"The problem here (urban areas) is the land, first the value of the land is high, and both are looking for new places because the area is already densely populated", he said.

For the pioneering project, the state government is identifying two locations in Bintulu, each in Jepak area and near Kampung Nyalau.

The initiative is expected to be the basis for the formation of a housing formula that takes into account the capabilities of the M40s, as well as the realities of land costs and urban development. - TVS