Penang To Redevelop Three Squatter Settlements
GEORGE TOWN, April 22 (Bernama) -- Penang is planning to redevelop three squatter settlements in Seberang Perai into modern residential areas this year.
State Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo said the redevelopment will provide the existing residents there with larger and more comfortable homes, free of charge.
'The villages involved are Kampung Manis, which has nearly 300 homes; Kampung Main Road in Perai, with 128 homes; and Kampung Ujung Batu in Bagan Dalam, with 357 homes. All the residents have agreed to the proposed redevelopment project.
'Most of the homes were built illegally decades ago. For example, Kampung Manis has existed for over 70 years,' he told reporters after the Penang Housing Board's 2024 Excellence in Service appreciation ceremony and Hari Raya Aidilfitri gathering last night.
He added that the initiative is part of Penang's broader mission to achieve zero squatter settlements while ensuring improved living conditions for residents.
Sundarajoo said the state government has issued a Request for Proposal for the redevelopment, however, the total cost has yet to be finalised.
According to the plan, the projects will begin with the construction of relocation homes for existing residents, followed by the development of mixed housing that includes Mutiara Affordable Homes and shop lots.
'We hope to break ground on at least two of the three projects this year. Kampung Manis, covering 36.7 acres, and Kampung Ujung Batu, covering 15 acres, will be prioritised and rebranded under the Rumah Mutiara MADANI initiative,' he said.
Meanwhile, Sundarajoo also reported that as of April 20, the state has delivered 166,607 housing units, representing 75.73 percent of its target to supply 220,000 units of affordable housing by 2030.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
39 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Samsung Pay outage leaves South Koreans briefly unable to tap and pay
SEOUL, June 2 — Samsung Pay, a mobile payment system operated by Samsung Electronics Co, experienced a temporary disruption on Monday, its operator said. According to the Yonhap News Agency, starting around 7am, some users reported being unable to make purchases both online and offline. Samsung Electronics acknowledged the issue in a notice posted at 10.30am, confirming that the problem affecting card payments and registration had been resolved. 'The error affecting card payments and registration has been fixed, and the service is now operating normally,' the company said. 'We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.' However, the cause of the service failure remained unknown. Samsung Pay is a digital wallet platform that allows users to make payments using compatible Samsung smartphones and devices. — Bernama-Yonhap
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
School holidays bring opportunities to local economy in Johor
JOHOR BAHRU: The school holidays since May 29, which brought joy to students and families, are a boon for hawkers, homestay operators and local communities around tourist hotspots in the state. A Bernama survey of several popular locations including the Johor Bahru City Square, Johor Zoo and the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) City Forest found that the presence of domestic tourists has increased sharply since the start of the holidays, thus providing a surge in income for street food vendors, souvenir vendors and homestay operators. Food vendor Halimah Abu Bakar, 48, said her sales during the school holiday season increased by 50 per cent following the increase in the number of customers at her stall. 'On weekdays, we receive around 100 customers, but during the holiday season, the number increases to 150 a day. Most of the customers are from other states and Singapore. 'Although we have to open our stall early and return late at night, the effort is worth it because the daily income increased almost three times compared to normal days,' she said when met by Bernama at her stall located around Hutan Bandar MBJB here today. Meanwhile, ice cream vendor Hasimi Md Isa, 41, said the school holiday season is like the 'harvest season' that he has been waiting for. 'During this school holiday, my ice cream sales can reach more than RM50 a day compared to RM30 a day. This school holiday is indeed a much-anticipated moment for local hawkers following the increase in the number of tourists coming to the state,' he said. The presence of tourists from outside Johor, such as Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Pahang, also contributes to the increase in local economic activities, especially homestay operators around the hotspots. Homestay operator Suraya Abd Majid, 38, said all units advertised on digital platforms had been booked a week before the holiday began, showing high demand for affordable accommodation outside the countryside. 'Many families also choose to stay in homestays because they can cook and save money. Homestays are also a choice because their facilities are more family-friendly. 'For this school holiday season alone, my homestay in Kempas has been fully booked until June 7. In fact, I have often received calls from people wanting to book a homestay within two to three days recently,' she said when contacted by Bernama. On May 29, the media reported that Johor Unity, Heritage and Culture Exco, K. Raven Kumar, announced that 80 per cent of hotel room reservations in tourist hotspots in Johor had been filled in conjunction with the first term school holidays. The school holidays are expected to end on June 10, and local traders, hawkers and homestay operators hope that this momentum can continue ahead of Visit Johor Year 2026.
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
PM Anwar: Unity not an option, it's a national requirement
Unity is the foundation of a country's development and is a catalyst for Malaysia's progress, Anwar said. – Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR (June 2): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that national unity is no longer an option, but rather a key requirement to ensure the continuity of the country's development. He said unity is the foundation of a country's development and is a catalyst for Malaysia's progress. 'Malaysia will only remain strong if we stand together united. 'Stability and national unity are the basic conditions for all progress. In a world that is rapidly changing and full of challenges, unity is not an option, it is a necessity,' he said. Anwar said this in his congratulatory speech at the investiture ceremony to present federal awards, stars and medals by Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, in conjunction with His Majesty's official birthday celebration at Istana Negara today. In attendance was Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia. Present at the ceremony were the Prime Minister's wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dewan Rakyat SpeakerTan Sri Johari Abdul and Dewan Negara President Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah. Also present were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and members of the Cabinet. Anwar said the MADANI government, under the auspices and guidance of His Majesty, will continue to be committed to implementing a comprehensive reform agenda based on the MADANI principles. 'Materialistic development alone is certainly not enough. In fact, it must be balanced with human values, social justice and human kindness,' said the Prime Minister. He emphasised that the development of infrastructure and public facilities should not be limited to mega projects like the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Instead, equal attention must be given to upgrading and enhancing essential services such as schools, hospitals, and transport networks. 'The people are not only promised hope, but also protected tangibly and continuously,' he said. The Prime Minister also emphasised that the strategy to increase the people's income would continue to be driven through economic structural reforms, the influx of high-quality investments and the strengthening of the technology and innovation ecosystem. He said every citizen should have the opportunity to progress, regardless of racial or cultural background. – Bernama anwar ibrahim development lead unity
