Kuala Lumpur: The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) is urged to assess and plan Affordable Housing Projects in the West Bank Sibu area, particularly in Sungai Bidut, Sibu.
The proposal was made by Sibu MP, Oscar Ling Chai Yew, during the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) in the Dewan Rakyat recently.
According to Oscar Ling, affordable housing issues should be a priority in RMK13 because the only Affordable Housing Project in Sibu Jaya under KPKT has been considered abandoned.
“The people are now asking, will this project continue under RMK13? To date, there has been no Affordable Housing Project initiated by the Federal Government in the Sibu area. The low- and middle-income residents of Sibu are highly anticipating this project in Sibu Jaya.
“We cannot continue to allow Sibu to fall behind in the National Housing agenda, especially when the West Bank Sibu area has tremendous development potential,” he said.
He informed that the state government had recently announced a new bridge construction project to connect the West Bank Sibu with the Sibu town centre.
“However, this area continues to face certain problems. Therefore, I urge the government to propose and carry out a more comprehensive Flood Mitigation Project in the West Bank Sibu area to address the frequent flooding in the affected area.
“Solving the flood issue will not only protect the lives and property of the people but also pave the way for redevelopment and overall development of the West Bank area, as well as give Sibu a new image,” he said.
He emphasised that RMK13 is not just a five-year development plan for Malaysia, but it is the hope and future of the people.
“Do not let the central region of Sarawak keep waiting in silence. Let us move forward together to build a truly balanced and inclusive Malaysia MADANI,” he said.
