King visits Housing and Local
Government Ministry
22/02/2007 The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Wathiqu Billah
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah
Shah made an official working visit to the Housing and Local Government
Ministry on Thursday.
The King was welcomed by Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, his deputies Datuk
Robert Lau and Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun, senior Ministry officials and staff at
the Ministry located in Pusat Bandar Damansara at 10am.
Tuanku Mizan attended a briefing on the Ministry's functions and objectives,
which was given by Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail.
In his welcoming speech, Ong said the Government has allocated RM8.974bil to
the ministry in the Ninth Malaysia Plan to carry out major development
projects by 2010.
He said the 9MP has given a lot of emphasis on the construction of
well-built and affordable homes for the lower-income group and the Ministry
were working hard to ensure that such projects would be carried out.
Allocation has also been provided to provide more facilities and quarters
for the Fire and Rescue Department and also to eradicate urban poverty, Ong
said.
During the briefing, Tunku Mizan asked for more details about the Ministry's
housing development programmes for the hardcore poor and also efforts to
tackle abandoned housing projects.
Ong replied that Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) was given the task
to revive abandoned housing projects.
Several Acts had also been passed to protect the interests of house-buyers
of abandoned housing projects and to ensure that such projects would be
carried out for the benefit of the lower-income group, Ong added.
Ong later told reporters that Tuanku Mizan gave him and his staff a lot of
encouragement to work hard for the people.
"The King's visit is indeed a special day for all of us, and we are very
grateful for his kind words and motivation to all of us at the Ministry," he
added. |