BP3.0: Procurement methods using privatisation will be considered - PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Procurement methods through privatisation, such as build-lease-maintain-transfer (BLMT) or land swap, will be considered so that most of the goals of the Defence Ministry's Housing Blueprint 3.0 (BP3.0) can be achieved, said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Prime Minister said this was because the government was aware of the financial burden to be borne for the implementation of BP3.0, which would focus on providing the remaining 12,733 units of Rumah Keluarga Malaysia Angkatan Tentera (RKMAT) homes nationwide via five phases, from 2023 to 2030.

"BP3.0 is a long-term housing project of the Defence Ministry that focuses on the welfare of its personnel, with its large and extensive planning will not only demand high commitment but also requires close cooperation from all parties involved.

"The goal is to ensure more RKMATs are built and maintained, more affordable homes are built and more Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans are given new homes and the existing homes improved," he said when officiating the Defence Ministry's BP3.0 at here today.

Ismail Sabri said the government, through the Defence Ministry, always gave priority to, and did not compromise on the implementation of, the housing agenda for MAF personnel and its civilian staff.

He said apart from RKMAT, various initiatives had been implemented, including the One Member One House (SASaR) programme, affordable housing by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), as well as the maintenance and construction of MAF veterans' housing programme.

He added that as a result of the implementation of the Housing Blueprint 1.0 and 2.0, a total of 4,200 new RKMAT units have been completed and occupied, while 552 RKMATs are expected to be completed and can be occupied by the end of this year, while 1,474 RKMATs have been maintained.

"Under the maintenance and upgrade programme, the target of 80 per cent of the existing 7,292 RKMAT units will be upgraded, including renovation works, from two units to one unit. At the same time, old damaged furniture will be replaced with new sets.

"As for the MAF veterans housing initiative, a total of 1,700 units will be built for the welfare of military veterans nationwide," he said.

At the same time, the Prime Minister said more houses would be maintained with a target ratio of one new unit built with four units being upgraded.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said that five RKMAT housing projects had been approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), proving that the government was committed to making the Defence Ministry's housing agenda a priority in national development planning.

He said since Jan 1, five RKMAT projects, involving 672 units of various classes, have been completed, namely Segamat Camp RKMAT in Johor; Oran Camp RKMAT in Perlis; Pakit Camp RKMAT and Sri Miri Camp in Sarawak, while Tok Jalai Camp RKMAT in Kedah will be occupied in the near future.

He added that RKMAT in Bera Camp and Tumbi Camp will be completed in the near future.

Also present at the launch were Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Army chief General Tan Sri Zambrose Mohd Zain and Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Syafiq Abdullah.

-- BERNAMA