By Mohd Khairy Abdullah
SOOK — Contractors who fail to complete Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) housing projects in Sook according to the agreed scope of work could face blacklisting, following the discovery of incomplete basic facilities in homes provided to recipients, Sook assemblyman Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said.
Arthur said the shortcomings were identified during a meeting with housing recipients and included electricity supplies that had yet to be installed, missing electricity meters in some houses and unfinished flooring.
He stressed that these were all part of the contractors’ contractual obligations and should have been completed before payments were made.
“I do not agree with contractors receiving payment before completing the work and then walking away from their responsibilities,” he said.
Arthur said he would propose to the District Office that contractors who failed to fulfil their contractual obligations and abandoned incomplete work after receiving payment be considered for blacklisting.
He also stressed the need for tighter monitoring of government housing projects to prevent similar problems from recurring and ensure that every house was handed over with all required facilities completed and ready for occupation.
He was speaking after the symbolic handover of 40 SMJ houses in Sook. The units were completed last year but could only be formally handed over this year due to administrative and management arrangements.
Arthur said housing assistance recipients were among the more vulnerable members of society and deserved serious attention. Government projects, he said, should not be judged solely by construction targets but also by the quality of work and whether the promised facilities had been fully delivered.
“These recipients are all from disadvantaged backgrounds, so it is not right for them to be treated this way. As elected representatives, we have been entrusted by the Chief Minister to ensure these projects reach their intended beneficiaries,” he said.
He said the objective of government housing assistance was to support those genuinely in need and safeguard the well-being of the wider community.
“We want to help those who genuinely need assistance so that our communities can continue to live in peace and prosperity,” he said.
