House applicant to unit available ratio is 8:1 in Sarawak

Midin Salad

By Yu Ji

Wednesday April 11, 2012

“Demand far outstrips supply. At a public housing in Matang (close to Kuching), there are currently 2,512 applicants vying for just 311 units. That’s an applicant-units-available ratio of 8:1. Providing enough affordable housing is a monumental task with demands that are ever growing.” - Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

Voting patterns will again be split between urban and rural areas, perhaps more so than ever before.

AFFORDABILITY is such an unattractive word.

It neither rolls off the tongue nor is the word usually part of daily conversation.

The word means cost in relation to whether you and I are able to pay for things. In conversation, affordability is usually used to imply low cost.

Affordability will be an underlying theme in the coming months, chief of all during the campaigns in the general election.

This will be a period when politicians promise to make affordability greater among more of us; a time when we will hear much promises on bridging the gap between rural and urban affordability.

Decision long made: A farmer putting up Barisan Nasional party flags at his farm house

in Kampung Gedong, Serian, about 90km from Kuching in this file pic. Where you live

is a good indication of which side you vote for. For rural voters like this farmer, there

is less risk in the old and tested.

In Sarawak, there is a gap, make no mistake, it is a large one in fact. The affordability gap is also closer than you might like to think.

Drive, say, 30 minutes outside of any urban centre, and low affordability is a fact of life easily observed.

Sure, in the heart of Kuching city, affor- dability might seem generally quite high. Here, there are about 700,000 people, making up hundreds of thousands of households.

At present, each household in the state capital has an average combined income of above RM6,000.

But there are a total of 2.5 million people in Sarawak. The rural-urban ratio is esti- mated at 50:50 presently, which means there are about 1.25 million people in rural areas.

It is at these areas where Sarawak’s poor still largely remain.

By the year 2020, the rural-urban ratio would stand at 40:60, best estimates show.

Urbanites would make up the majority in Sarawak.

Ensuring there is enough affordable housing in urban centres will be the Government’s greatest challenge (alongside job creation).

Earlier this month at a gathering of real estate developers, Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had this to say in relation to affordable housing.

“Demand far outstrips supply. At a public housing in Matang (close to Kuching), there are currently 2,512 applicants vying for just 311 units. That’s an applicant-units-available ratio of 8:1. Providing enough affordable housing is a monumental task with demands that are ever growing.”

Under state rules, public housing is capped at about RM60,000.

Given the high demand, it should be very apparent that affordability for a great many is much lower than we — you and I, consumers of this newspaper, avid Twitter and Facebook users, iPhone enthusiasts and latte drinkers — would like to assume.

In Sarawak, affordability between the have and have-nots is vast and widening. In fact, where you live reflects your level of income. A postcode gives away your income levels.

About 70% of Sarawakians are from households that have a combined income of under RM6,000. Out of this group, 40% have household incomes under RM1,500.

In the general election, the people’s affordability will determine voting patterns. Again, voting patterns will be split between urban and rural areas, perhaps more so than ever before.

Where you live is a good indication of which side you vote for. For those with higher affordability, they are more likely to take a chance.

It is much easier to vote for change when it entails lesser risk to your already comfortable lifestyle.

But for those with low affordability — who are far-flung and with fewer opportunities — their voting patterns will likely remain conservative.

So while some might be swayed by matters like Bersih 3.0, for the many others tightly constrained by affordability, BR1M has had much more relevance.

The campaign will be on affordability, and it has actually began a long time ago.

   

PBB Zon Tengah sambut baik seruan Karim agar Pemuda PBB lebih agresif

April 4, 2012

SIBU: Pergerakan Pemuda Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Zon Tengah Sarawak menyambut baik seruan bekas Ketua Pemuda PBB Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, agar Pemuda PBB bertindak lebih agresif dalam membantu parti dan Barisan Nasional (BN) pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13).

Ketua Pemuda PBB Cawangan Pelawan Mohd Junaidi Sambang berkata, barisan Pemuda PBB sudah agresif dari sudut menangkis dakwaan yang dilemparkan oleh pihak pembangkang sama ada secara terang-terangan ataupun melalui alam siber.

“Cuma kita agak terkilan suara peringkat Pemuda kurang mendapat pengiktirafan di peringkat atasan.

“Saranan tersebut memang bagus dan molek untuk Pemuda peringkat ranting dan cawangan untuk bergerak, tapi peringkat atasan pun mesti memainkan peranan yang besar, banyak bekerja dan jangan hanya pandai bercakap,” ujarnya kepada Utusan Borneo, semalam.

Menurut Junaidi, beliau juga agak terkilan bila tiba sahaja musim pilihan raya dan perhimpunan parti, barulah pihak atasan sibuk berhubung dengan Pemuda cawangan dan ranting serta meng-anjurkan pelbagai program.

“Sesiapapun boleh bercakap itu ini tanpa sebarang tindakan, yang kemudiannya tidak akan memberi erti atau manfaat kepada semua pihak.

“Yang penting adalah mencari resolusi bagaimana kita hendak mendekati rakyat di peringkat akar umbi serta memastikan sokongan tidak berbelah bagi dan terus bersama kita, ini yang penting,” katanya.

   

Karim told PBB Youth to be more vocal and aggressive

Posted on April 3, 2012, Tuesday

KUCHING: The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)’s Youth movement have been told to be more vocal and aggressive to help the party and Barisan Nasional win big in the coming general election.

Rousing them was supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who on Sunday night said it was not late for the PBB Youth to go all out in cyberspace to reach out to voters.

“The cyberspace is still our weak area. But we cannot continue to be steps behind our opponents. We should be putting in more effort in the ‘cyber war’ because the young people are often on the Internet and that is where we can get close to them.

“In this ‘battle’, the members of our Youth movement must not be afraid, and they must be ready to face off with PKR and DAP though they may seem to be more aggressive in their approach,” he said at the PBB Youth Chief Football Challenge Trophy prize presentation.

Believing the election could be called anytime soon, he reminded PBB Youth movement of the big role to play to ensure victory for the party and BN.

“I believe the election could be within the next two to three months. Even the prime minister said the election is near. We must know our roles, come the battle in the election. This coming election will be very tough because we not only want a win, but to win in a big way especially in PBB seats,” said the Youth Development Assistant Minister.

Also present was PBB Youth chief Datuk Fadillah Yusof who is the incumbent MP for Petra Jaya.

Pemuda PBB perlu lebih agresif hadapi pilihanraya - Karim

April 3, 2012

Harus berani depani pelbagai cabaran lebih-lebih lagi guna ruang siber untuk dekati pengundi

KUCHING: Pergerakan Pemuda Parti Pesaka Bumi-putera Bersatu (PBB) perlu bertindak lebih agresif membantu jentera parti dan Barisan Nasional (BN) dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PR13U).

Ahli Majlis Tertinggi PBB Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, Pemuda PBB harus berani mendepani pelbagai cabaran lebih-lebih lagi menggunakan ruang siber untuk mendekati para pengundi.

“Kita perlu akui penggunaan ruang siber masih lemah dan kita tidak harus menoleh ke belakang untuk berdepan dengan musuh kita.

“Justeru, kita perlu melaku-kan usaha yang lebih drastik dengan menggunakan ‘perang siber’ kerana golongan muda ternyata cenderung menggunakan Internet dan ini membolehkan kita dapat mendekati mereka,” katanya berucap pada majlis penyampaian hadiah Kejohanan Bola Sepak Piala Ketua Pemuda PBB Negeri di sini malam Ahad lalu.

Abdul Karim menarik perhatian bahawa dalam ‘perang siber’, ahli-ahli pergerakan Pemuda tidak perlu takut dan mereka harus bersedia untuk menghadapi cabaran pihak pembangkang.

Beliau yang juga Menteri Muda Perumahan dan Menteri Muda Belia berkata, pembangkang seperti PKR dan DAP mungkin agak agresif dalam pendekatan mereka justeru kita (PBB) harus lebih agresif.

“Saya percaya Pilihan Raya Umum mungkin dalam tempoh terdekat, justeru kita mesti tahu peranan kita dalam menghadapi pilihan raya itu nanti.

Developers encouraged to adopt Green Building Index

April 1, 2012

ENJOYING THE SHOW: Karim (third right) watching a stage performance by young violinist Nisa Addina during Sheda annual dinner. Also seen (from right) are Housing Assistant Minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, dinner organising chairman Dr Christopher Ngui and Zaidi.

KUCHING: The government encourages more developers to respond positively to the call in adopting Green Building Index (GBI), which focuses on energy efficiency, indoor environment quality, sustainable site planning and management, material and resources efficiency and design innovation.

“The GBI elements in residential planning involve long term energy savings.

“While certain green methods or technology can be a bit more costly to adopt, in the long term it can be worth it for developers in terms of energy savings, sustainable development and better corporate image.

“It is advisable for big projects to consider this,” said Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He pointed out that there is a need for a paradigm shift in housing planning in terms of living environment and design, as buyers nowadays are wiser and more selective in their buying decision.

“It is important to maintain reputation as developers who can provide quality design, attractive pricing, excellent workmanship and good amenities.

“Telecommunications is another must-have technology in a housing area nowadays.