The Sarawak Consumers Association has lauded the move to do away with inferior low-cost housing in the state, dubbed rumah kuda (stables) by locals.

Association president Bujang Ulis, a former deputy education minister, said such housing units are far from 'low-cost' to begin with, and that matters are made worse when sub-standard materials are used as well.

Bujang said the state government should study the market price of houses in towns or cities that are equivalent to Kuching in status.

"Go to Kota Bahru, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Melaka or Alor Setar...houses in some projects in Kuala Lumpur are cheaper than those in Kuching, where prices are at least 20 percent higher," he claimed.

"It is sad to note that some developers are living in grand mansions, while buyers of units in government projects are offered homes built with sub-standard materials."

Bujang said most buyers in Sarawak are government employees from the lower income group and that they usually cannot afford to buy units in private housing projects.

Units in government projects are sold at below RM100,000 per unit, and the majority of buyers are native peoples, he said.

'Change design'

Bujang gave his support to Sarawak Housing Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg's proposal to do away rumah kuda .

"We hope that facilities in existing low-cost housing projects will be upgraded as well...better late than never," he said, adding that changes are also needed to the design of units.

Yesterday, Johari also said the 'low-cost' tag should be re-examined in order to remove the social stigma associated with the term.

Johari, who had held a dialogue recently with Sarawak Housing Developers Association, warned that the state would open up the property market if local developers fail to buck up.

"If I don't do this, they will remain in their comfort zones and build low-quality houses which some people says are only fit as stables," he said.

Sarawak DAP deputy chairperson Chiu Chiew Sing said the government should provide plots of land rather than build so-called affordable homes for people.

"These two- or three bedrooms houses are usually too small for big families. If the government can afford to provide big tracts of land for oil palm plantations, it shouldn't have a problem with allocating residential lots," he said.

Chiu also called for greater care in ensuring that only those genuinely in need of affordable housing are allocated such facilities.

"Low-cost houses are only for those with a steady income, but unfortunately many of these are falling into the wrong hands," he added.

JIMMY TEOH is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.