Sabah PPR tenants to know if they can stay or go next week

Hajiji (wearing cap) posing with students at the conference.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Cabinet will decide next week whether or not to proceed with the Housing and Urban Development Board's proposal to evict tenants of People's Housing Projects (PPR) in the state after they had stayed for more than 10 years.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the matter will be brought up for thorough discussion during the state Cabinet meeting.

“We will bring this to the state Cabinet meeting next week, and we will make a decision,” he told reporters after the Sabah Student Consultative Council (MPPS) Conference at a hotel here on Thursday (June 22) night.

“Although there is a warning from the Audit Department regarding this matter, for me, we cannot do that (asking tenants of more than 10 years to vacate the houses).

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“This is because those who live in PPR rental houses still need a place to live.

“We await the state Cabinet's decision next week but in principle, we will ensure that (the tenants') well-being is protected,” he added.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, state Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Arif and State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong.

In a June 18 notice, the board said it received a "reprimand" by the National Audit Department for not following the procedures for tenants to vacate the low-cost rental units after 10 years.

Following that, Putatan Umno division chief Jeffrey Noor Mohmed urged the state to reconsider its decision to evict the tenants, saying it was hasty and inappropriate as it would burden the tenants, the majority of whom are in the B40 income group.

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Jeffery also said the recommendations by the Audit Department were not rational as the Housing and Urban Development Board Enactment 1981 Article 37 clearly stated that the department's duty was only to audit the accounts of the institution.

“There is no authority given to the department to determine the policy that the board must follow.

“Why should the board comply with the reprimand when the real authority lies with the state Local Government and Housing Minister,” he said.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, however, defended the board's move to issue the notices to the affected tenants, as it would give others a chance to rent homes at a low price.

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He added that PPR occupants also have to reapply if they wanted to extend their tenancy.

On another matter, Hajiji said the state government has agreed to establish the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Transit House for students looking for work after graduation.

He added that the proposal will be submitted to the state Local Government and Housing Ministry to be incorporated into PPRs currently being built.

“We have many more PPRs that have not been completed such as in Inanam.

"So, for a start, we have informed the ministry to reserve, for example, 50 out of 1,000 units for these transit houses at a minimum fee,” he said.