268 Houses Built Under Sinar Lestari For Those In Need To Date - Zulkifli

JERTIH, May 3 (Bernama) -- The Sinar Lestari programme under the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YAPEIM) continues to have a positive impact on those in need, with a total of 268 houses built nationwide to date.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan said the houses, each costing RM80,000, were built with the support of strategic partners to provide more comfortable homes for the underprivileged.

“YAPEIM has planned the construction of 374 houses nationwide since 2020. To date, 268 houses have been completed, and efforts are ongoing to achieve the overall target.

“Alhamdulillah, implementation has progressed well, and the remaining projects are underway. In Terengganu alone, 35 houses have been built, valued at nearly RM2 million.

“The Sinar Lestari has benefited many Malaysians. Insya-Allah, these efforts will continue to be strengthened. In fact, synergy with the Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation has further enhanced the implementation of the programme,” he said after the handover ceremony of newly built houses under the YAPEIM-Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation Sinar Lestari programme at Kampung Tok Dor Dalam here today.

Zulkifli said the construction period for houses under the programme is carried out swiftly, taking about four months, to ensure assistance can be delivered promptly to the target groups.

He added that the synergy between YAPEIM and the Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation has further strengthened the implementation of the Sinar Lestari programme, which not only provides housing but also helps improve the recipients’ standard of living.

“This programme is not merely about building houses, as we also provide grants and entrepreneurial support to recipients to help them generate income.

“For example, today’s recipient, Mohd Kamal Yaakob, plans to open a car and motorcycle workshop as a source of income for his family,” he said.

Meanwhile, new house recipient Siti Rosaida Abdul Rahman, 37, said she and her husband, Mohd Kamal Yaakob, 44, were grateful for the assistance.

“Alhamdulillah, we are very grateful for the assistance, as previously my family and I had to rent a single 12x12 square foot room at about RM200 per month and lived cramped together in that small space for nearly three years.

“Alhamdulillah, our lives have changed after receiving a new house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. I would like to thank the government for the assistance,” she said.

-- BERNAMA