Rokah Mahmud
Twenty-one people received certificates affirming the completion of their houses under the Poor and Destitute (Daif, Fakir dan Miskin) Housing Aid Project, during a ceremony at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) building yesterday.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, in his capacity as the Chairman of Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB), was the guest of honour.
Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Ir Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin were also present.
Funding for the construction of the housing project was derived from allocation of Zakat money collection from MUIB, totalling BND1,977,283.60.
Recipient Sanisah binti Abdullah, 73, thanked the Brunei government and MUIB for providing her with a three-bedroom house at Jalan Mungkom in Mukim Kiudang in the Tutong District.
Sanisah receives the monthly BND250 old age pension from the Community Development Department (JAPEM), as well as monthly assistance from MUIB amounting to BND200 and BND500 in house rental assistance (July 2020 to January 2021). She has six children and is living with her daughter, a single mother with two children.
Another recipient Misah binti Haji Haji Daud also expressed delight with her four-bedroom house at Jalan Bukit Panggal in Kampong Bukit Panggal in the Tutong District.
Beset with health problems, 64-year-old Misah uses a wheelchair to move around. She receives a monthly assistance of BND200 from MUIB and house rental assistance of BND500 (February 2020 to January 2022). Her three children live with her, one of whom is an individual with different abilities (OKU).
From 2009 to 2020, 114 houses have been built to provide the Asnaf Fakir Miskin with safe living conditions.
The housing aid project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA), the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), the Ministry of Development (MoD) and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), with funds allocated from the Zakat collection under MUIB.
The PMO acts as coordinator of the project, which is implemented by the Technical Services Department and the Public Works Department.
Two contractors – Noracon Sdn Bhd and Mingjohra Enterprise – have been appointed to the housing aid project.