RANAU: Sabah will build 20 Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ)-friendly homes annually for those in need in the Karanaan area.
Karanaan assemblyman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said this housing programme, launched in 2022, involved the construction of homes valued at RM80,000 each, provided free of charge to victims of natural disasters and the impoverished.
"This initiative demonstrates the state government's concern for the people, particularly those affected by natural disasters and the severely impoverished.
"Therefore, the state government remains steadfast in its effort to provide 20 units of SMJ-friendly homes annually to those in need in the Karanaan area," he said during the handover ceremony of SMJ house keys to 23 recipients in the Karanaan state constituency at Kampung Pahu, here
He added that 35 SMJ-friendly homes have been completed in the Karanaan area since the state government introduced the housing programme two years ago.
Masidi hopes that all 60 units of SMJ-friendly homes approved until this year would be completed on schedule and handed over to the recipients.
He also said the state government launched the SMJ-friendly home programme on Sept 28, 2022, to lift people out of poverty and provide affordable housing for those in the Bottom 40 income group.
In a related development, Masidi, who is also the state Finance Minister, launched a road upgrading project spanning six kilometres, connecting Kampung Mohimboyon-Lipantai-Pahu, Ranau.
He said the construction, which began on March 25, involved building a new bridge, developing a drainage system, and providing slope protection.
"This project is vital for the local community. The road upgrade is not just an infrastructure improvement, but a crucial step towards enhancing the quality of life for the people of Ranau," he said.