Expensive properties won’t slow down Keningau’s growth
KENINGAU:
Escalating prices of building materials have resulted in expensive properties in the interior areas but this will not slow down Keningau’s growth and development. District Officer Zulkifli Nasir is confident with Keningau’s potential to become the interior area’s commercial and housing hub as development of shop houses and residential properties in the district has been mushrooming. “With the District Council’s rating area increased from 500 acres to 3,000 acres, Keningau will be the centre of economic activities in the interior and this will lead to migration to the district,” he said. “Even though the cost of living is high because of the hike in goods, it has not prevented residents in the district from purchasing houses,” he said and predicted that property prices will continue to increase, especially in the District Council’s rating areas. Zulkifli who is also the Keningau District Council Chairman, also believed that the Government will ensure infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity supply in the district will be in tandem with its rapid growth for the comfort and convenience of the people. The Government, he said, will carry out its responsibilities in this aspect and this will encourage more investors to the district. He assured residents that the District Council will ensure that any development carried out in the district will be planned properly so that there are no cases of congestion and the town will be able to grow properly. Zulkifli said presently there are 3,175 units of houses in 43 residential estates in the district which were developed since 1983 by several private developers and the Town Planning and Housing Board. The National Housing Department also constructed 300 units of houses at Mile 27, KeningauTenom Road. Some of the houses are occupied while some have been completed and waiting for the Occupational Certificate (OC) to be issued. There are 723 commercial units in the district, most completed and some are also waiting to have their OC issued. “The road links between Keningau-Kimanis, Keningau Tenom-Sipitang,Keningau-Tambunan–Ranau-Sandakan, Keningau-Nabawan, KalabakanTawau will also attract and encourage more investors both local and foreign to come to this district and the interior,” Zulkifli added. He however said that the district needed more development, especially housing estates, commercial shopping complexes, hotels, recreation centres, agriculture and industrial estates as this would open up more job and business opportunities.
