27 March, KUALA LUMPUR – The government has been urged to provide a special housing scheme for the Orang Asli community on land which has been gazetted or reserved for the community.
Dewan Negara Orang Asli community representative, Datuk Isa Ab Hamid said the proposal could be further fine-tuned as many households of the community were in the middle 40 per cent (M40) and lowest 40 per cent (B40) who could afford housing instalment of between RM100 to RM300 a month.
Apart from that, he said the qualifying conditions for the Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT) were very stringent and some of them may not be eligible.
“Comfortable housing is one of the important elements in the evaluation of improving living standard for the Orang Asli community.
I suggest the government provide and implement the Special Orang Asli Housing Scheme similar to other programmes on land that has been gazetted or reserved for the community, he said when debating the motion of thanks on the Royal Address at Dewan Negara today.
Isa said the government could provide funds for the programme through Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) or Bank Rakyat.
Touching on the progress of the community, Isa said so far 84 per cent of Orang Asli villages have roads, electricity supply (80 pct), clean water supply (79 pct) and 82 per cent have PPRT.
He said the Rural and Regional Development Ministry had announced that 853 Orang Asli villages were expected to have full basic amenities by 2023.
The Senate will sit again tomorrow.
– BERNAMA