KUCHING, Jan 8 — The Sarawak government’s decision not to impose the 30 per cent requirement of new housing projects be set aside for affordable housing will enable the state to develop more affordable homes for the people, said Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

The deputy premier said previously, there had been many cases where housing developers did not fulfil the condition of constructing affordable housing under housing schemes or mixed development projects on land area of 10 acres or more.

"With the state’s government decision to take control of affordable housing construction, there is no excuse for the developers not to contribute towards affordable housing for the people.

"They have to carry out their social responsibility because housing is a basic need of everyone regardless of whether you are rich or poor,” he told reporters when met after launching the memoir of former Batu Kawa assemblyman Datuk Alfred Yap at Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) headquarters here yesterday.

Dr Sim, who is Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, welcomed the decision as ensuring that the people are able to afford houses, saying this has always been one of the goals of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.

"In fact, the proposal for this came from a lab which was organised by the Ministry of Housing a few years ago.

"We cannot wait for developers to build the normal houses but when it comes to affordable housing, they will claim that they have insufficient funds. That is unfair to the people.

"So, this is where the government decided that we don’t need the developers to build the affordable homes but to instead channel the funds (to the housing trust fund) and we will build the houses ourselves,” he said.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Saturday announced that private housing development planning on developing large-scale projects in Sarawak would no longer be required to build affordable homes starting from the first quarter of this year.

He told reporters after visiting the Sungai Bedaun Housing Project site that developers, who are involved in projects spanning 10 acres or more, would instead be required to make compensation through a housing trust fund.

This, he added, would allow the state government to use the funds for the development of affordable homes on specific site projects.

Abang Johari also said that the state is in the process of discussing the formula on the quantum of the payment whereby a percentage of the payment would be required upon the approval of projects, but the housing developers could also settle the amount in full.

Previously, state laws required that the private sector allocate 30 per cent of housing schemes or mixed development projects to construct affordable homes when the developed land area was 10 acres or more. — Borneo Post Online