WORKING towards reducing poverty in the nation and also to ease the burden of underprivileged persons, the Public Works Department (PWD) has kick started projects to construct houses from the zakat monies of Brunei Islamic Religious Council.

The Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) at the Ministry of Development, Haji Mohd Rozan bin Dato Paduka Haji Md Yunos visited the sites of the housing project which is the first one carried out by PWD to assist the poor and needy in the Belait District.

The housing project witnesses the ongoing construction of two types of houses namely C1 with estimated cost of $57,682 and B2 type worth $64,000.

The C1 type is equipped with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom. The construction works begun sometime in June this year and is expected to be completed within five months in November 2009.

Meanwhile, the house type B2 is equipped with three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom. Construction has started May this year and will be completed early October this year

The Permanent Secretary first visited the housing project Type C1, which will be awarded to 79-year-old Awang Ahmad bin Hamid at Simpang 408, Lot 3600, Jalan Singa Menteri, Kampong Mumong.

The house is constructed on Awg Ahmad TOL land and he has been staying there since the early 90′s. Awg Ahmad said his wife has just passed away this month. He is now staying with his only 20-year-old son who is working at a private company in Belait.

Before he retired, Awg Ahmad used to work at BSP and now he only receives old pension fund of $250 and cash assistance of $160 monthly from JAPEM. While waiting for their new home to complete construction, he and his son is temporarily allocated in one of the PWD barrack units in Kuala Belait.

Later, the Permanent Secretary visited the Type B2 house which will be given to 78-year-old Dayang Hajah Banun binti Mahmud at Lot 7155, Kampong Mumong. Dayang Hajah Banun also has no stable income and receives old age pension fund and $100 monthly assistance from JAPEM.

Dayang Hajah Banun is currently staying with her 37year-old daughter who also has two children aged 11 and 15 years old to support. They are also temporarily relocated to the PWD barrack unit, pending completion of their new house.

Prior to visiting the housing projects in the Belait District, the Permanent Secretary also visited the housing projects in Tutong District where two C1 type houses and six B2 type houses will be constructed.

Officers present at the visit were the Assistant Belait District Officer, Awang Haji Abd Hamid bin Dato Paduka Haji Abdullah and Assistant Director of Building Services PWD, Awang Chua Pheng Keong as well as other senior government officials, Penghulu Mukim Kuala Belait and Kampong Mumong head village.

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