BUTTERWORTH: Over 1,000 Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) personnel in Penang are expected to be offered affordable homes through the One Member One House Programme (Sasar).
The project is expected to kick off early next year.
RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Affendi Buang said discussions with several parties on the number of units and actual quota were ongoing and would be finalised once the project begins construction.
He said the housing project under the Sasar programme would be built in Bertam, Kepala Batas on an eight-hectare plot.
“This project is a contribution of the federal government to the air force personnel to own a house at affordable price. With the size of the land, we believe it can house over 1,000 units in the area,” he told a press conference after officiating the Certificate and Quartermaster Flight Wings Series 31/2017 and Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) to former RMAF retiree Sarjan Zaidi Salleh at the RMAF Butterworth base today.
Last year, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein reportedly said the ministry aimed to build 25,000 affordable homes for personnel and veterans from the armed forces by 2030 through the Sasar programme.
Sasar is a scheme to lessen the reliance of the armed forces to be placed at quarters, and enable its personnel to own homes while they are in duty with the ratio of 70 per cent armed forces and 30 per cent veteran personnel.
Meanwhile, Affendi praised the bravery of Zaidi who was willing to jump into the sea to rescue a woman who wanted to commit suicide at Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Second Penang Bridge recently.
“For one to put his own life on the line in order to rescue another person is never an easy task, but on the basis of responsibility, he puts aside everything and become a prime example for all.
“Personally I am proud with his action, more so the person himself is down to earth and no one thought he could be a hero to the community with good qualities in him,” he added.