TUARAN, April 22 ― A total of 1,500 units of the "Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ)” houses, costing about RM70,000 each will be given free to needy Sabahans, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

He said the state government would use the special grant of RM125.6 million from the federal government, to build the housing project, previously known as the Housing Project for the Hardcore Poor or PPRT.

 He said the houses would be built in all the 73 state constituencies, with the district officers, municipal council presidents and city council mayors to identify the eligible recipients.

"This allocation (special grant for Sabah) has  to be given back to the people, especially the less affordable who do not have proper homes house so we decided to build the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya,” he told a media conference after presenting Ramadan and Aidilfitri aid to 180 recipients, comprising the needy in Kampung Serusop here today.

He also handed over dates to 28 mosques and 25 suraus in the state. ― Bernama