BY GERYL OGILVY
Fatimah (in white dress) visiting the container house in Kampung Buntal, Santubong, after presenting it to Shukeri. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / THE STAR
KUCHING: Odd-job worker Shukeri Abdul Wahed and his family of seven have been living uncomfortably in a makeshift house for over a decade in Kampung Buntal, near here.
The family gradually improved the house using recycled and new materials over the years and applied for housing assistance many years ago and had been waiting since.
On Tuesday, the family was presented with a new home – a compact house made from an old shipping container – courtesy of property development company Elica Sdn Bhd.
“We have been waiting for housing aid for a very long time. We applied for it through e-Kasih and were surprised to receive a call last month that we are finally granted a home,” Shukeri’s wife, Siti Khadijah Kawi told reporters at the presentation ceremony.
She said her family had been living in their current house for the past 11 years.
“We are happy and grateful for this contribution. Now we have a more comfortable home to live in,” she added.
The unique KitKotak Home unit is a corporate social responsibility programme funded by Elica known for building high-end residential developments.
Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah and Elica managing director Bobby Ting handed the keys to the family.
The concept is part of the company’s contribution to help improve the living condition of underprivileged families in the state through responsible and environmental friendly design.
Ting said Elica planned to roll out 10 more KitKotak houses next year for underprivileged families.
Based around re-purposed shipping containers, the KitKotak home is designed to create an eco-friendly, highly flexible and affordable living space for a family of up to eight people within a 20-footer equivalent unit.
The home is lit by natural light and a simple low-energy lighting scheme that runs the length of the ceiling. Adequate power points and an electric fan are also provided.
Additional ventilation is provided by a continuous high-level slot to the rear and glazed window louvres. Potential heat build-up is reduced by the open roof structure.
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The home has a toilet and shower, a simple kitchen, living area and storage unit. It is also designed to capture rainwater from the angled roof.
“This concept is a great idea that not only offers a solution to housing needs of the poor but also good from an environmental perspective, or else the abandoned container will be left as scrap metal,” Fatimah said.
She encouraged housing developers and corporations to do their part in providing a decent living space for the less fortunate as part of their efforts to give back to the community.
Fatimah said 23,928 applications had been received for housing assistance from 2011 to 2016 under the e-Kasih programme for the poor and destitute households.
Up until now, only 7,738 applications under the poor and destitute categories have been approved, while 16,190 are still waiting for assistance.
