SRDC’s Wong demands answers on delayed PPR Seduan housing project

SIBU (Aug 25): Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong has demanded to know when the People’s Housing Programme (PPR) Seduan at Sibu Jaya would be completed.

He said that the project to construct 461 units of houses with a contract sum of RM97.52 million, including RM5.52 million of tax, has been delayed by about two years from its scheduled completion date on Oct 22, 2022.

He also demanded to know the number of house purchasers and how much payment they have already made.

“The contract cost is RM92 million and the percentage of completion is 36.49 per cent. How much has been paid to the contractor? Since the percentage of completion is only 36.49 per cent, is the contractor being paid in accordance to the percentage of completion?

“How much contract sum has been retained by the ministry because the PPR Seduan is an abandoned housing project.

“Are Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and Lanang MP Alice Lau to concerned that 461 housing units, which can accommodate approximately 2,305 people or represent at least 461 households, are urgently in need of your assistance?” he asked in a press conference held during Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Dudong Mobile Service 2U programme at Sibu Jaya here today.

Wong, who is also SUPP Dudong branch chairman, said this was his third open request for intervention by Lau on the housing project.

He hoped it would garner Nga’s attention as the previous two requests went unanswered.

According to him, SRDC had previously attended the meetings convened by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to discuss the handling of the project.

However, since the meeting on Dec 5 last year, there has been no progress or follow-up from the KPKT, he said.

“The minister revealed that KPKT has submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Finance for the 2025 Budget, amounting to RM1 billion. This includes the construction of 100 Madani recreation parks nationwide.

“Can you reveal whether any of the 33 proposed initiatives include the revival of the PPR Seduan and similar severely delayed projects? If not, why does KPKT prefer to spend large amounts of money on other projects like parks, while ignoring more critical projects such as housing for the low income group?”

Wong claimed that while ministers or elected representatives from Pakatan Harapan (PH) are particularly keen about promoting  ‘Madani’ projects, their efforts often seem impractical.

“I sincerely hope that PH leaders are not merely pursuing projects that make them feel good while failing to benefit the ordinary public, ultimately making their slogan a laughingstock,” he added.