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Switching To Modular Housing
Posted on : 24 Mar 2017  Source of News: The Borneo Post
 

FOSHAN, Guanhzhou: Housing Development Corporation (HDC) through its subsidiary, Smart Housing R & D SdnBhd (Smart Housing), signed a Heads of Agreement (HoA) with Foshan based manufacturer, Conceiving Board Manufacturing Co Ltd (CBM) for the set-up of a modular panel manufacturing plant in Muara Tebas yesterday.

The signing of the HoA was held at CBM’s plant in Fosan and was witnessed by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg who was accompanied by a delegation from the Ministry of Housing and Urbanisation and Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda) Kuching branch.

The HoA stipulates that HDC will be a majority stakeholder in a company set through the joint-venture, Green Modular R & R SdnBhd (Green Modular)

According to the chief minister, the venture was not only to facilitate technology transfer from CBM into Sarawak but also to meet the housing needs of Sarawakians by bringing in houses that could be built quickly and affordably.

Concurring with the chief minister, director of Smart Housing, Datuk Dr Abang

Abdul Rauf Abang Zen declared that the future of affordable housing would be modular housing.

“In Sarawak, the prices are getting higher and higher and the chief minister has said on many occasions that we should instead flood the market with cheaper alternatives. Modular housing or panelling can achieve this as it will not only reduce the cost of production but the cost of labour as well,” he said.

 

Chen Yao Ran, managing director of CBM explained that the switch to its modular panelling products would significantly reduce the man power at the construction site.

“Usually, the timeline of normal construction projects will be 80 per cent on site and 20 per cent within factories. With the switch to modular panelling the timeline will now be 20 per cent on site and 80 percent within factories.

“This drastically reduces the need for man power and also increases efficiency for transportation and logistics of our materials as our products are much lighter and easier to transport.

Abang Johari also pointed out that CBM could also be used in the construction of other building other than houses.

“I believe that the market for modular panelling is there as it not only benefits the housing segment. We can use this technology to build schools and hospitals quickly for these projects to be able to provide our people the essentials.

The chief minister also hoped that the HoA and would also benefit private players in the housing industry to allow them to be able to export their services outside the state.

“I hope Sarawak will be known as a place that export houses and not just build houses,” the chief minister said.

Representing Smart Housing for the signing ceremony were its directors, Datuk Dr Abang Haji Abdul Rauf bin Abang Haji Zen and MohdYusof bin Mohd Ona.  CMB was represented by its managing director, Chen Yao Ran and General Manager Xia Zun Hua.

After the signing ceremony, the chief minister and his delegation visited CBM’s manufacturing site where they witnessed a demonstration of how CBM’s modular panels were installed.