THE Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Housing Project will not involve building homes on water, said State Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim.
“To date, my Ministry has not approved the construction of houses on water, including in areas such as the sea, rivers, or riverbanks.
“This decision was made in light of lessons learned from previous housing initiatives under the Hardcore Poor People’s Housing Programme (PPRT), where homes built on water were eventually damaged or collapsed due to erosion and strong water currents.
“In addition, the safety of residents must be prioritised, and the estimated construction costs are expected to exceed the ceiling set by the Government,” he said during his winding-up speech at the State Assembly.
Jahid said that SMJ house construction would utilise either conventional building methods or the Industrialised Building System (IBS), depending on specific site conditions.
“The method of implementation will be determined by the respective District Implementation Offices, taking into account factors such as site accessibility, transportation of building materials, cost efficiency, and the suitability of construction methods for the chosen locations,” he said.
As of 8 April 2025, a total of 4,028 housing units — representing 90 per cent of the 2022 to 2024 allocation — have been completed. The remaining 454 units (10 per cent) are currently under construction.
The delay in completion has been attributed to manpower shortages faced by contractors.
For the 2025 allocation, all projects are still in the pre-implementation phase.
On the selection process for the Rumah Mesra SMJ programme, Jahid stressed that recipients are chosen based on strict criteria outlined in the programme’s Terms of Reference (TOR) and official implementation guidelines.
Eligibility requirements include being registered in the eKasih database, being a person with disabilities (OKU) registered with the Sabah State Welfare Department (JPKANS), being a victim of natural disasters, or residing in dilapidated housing.
“If any recipient is found to have failed to meet the eligibility criteria, a thorough investigation will be carried out and appropriate action taken to ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of this programme,” he said.