Housing options for Sarawak Shell Berhad staff On first arrival, transit housing is normally made available at
Kin Link Apartments, the Marriott or the Imperial Hotel depending on availability
and the SSB tendering system. You will be offered a two or three
bedroom apartment, depending on your family situation.
When looking for long term accommodation in Miri there are several
options. Most Sarawak Shell expatriates stay in Sarawak Shell's
original private residential area, called Piasau Camp. However,
with the growth of staff numbers, other locations have been made
available. From the transit accommodation families tend to move
to, either the Taman Bayshore housing estate, an area adjacent to
Piasau Camp, or Piasau Camp itself. Some people elect to stay in
Kin Link Apartments while others may prefer to rent a house on the
open market in Miri town. There is a good variety of houses available
in Miri to suit individual family needs but tracking them down can
be a challenge.
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Kin Link Apartments is a development, less than 5 minutes from
Piasau Camp, overlooking the Miri river and the Miri Golf Club.
The complex holds some 120 apartments in three-story blocks (without
elevator), each with private parking spaces. The complex is fenced
off and has 24-hour security.
Apartments at Kin Link are spacious, although somewhat spartan,
with two or three bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen/living area and
a small balcony. The apartments are furnished with a standard
furniture set. A TV-set is provided with access to Malaysian
channels only (for English language channels you will need to take
out an satellite subscription), Furthermore a basic set of kitchenware,
bed linen and towels is provided.
The general lack of soft furnishings, the proximity of neighbours
and activities on the Miri river can make these apartments somewhat
noisy. Cleaning services are not provided, but the management can
arrange this for you at your own expense if you wish. The apartments
have no staff quarters, but some people hire part-time live-out
helpers/babysitters (amahs).
For more information and pictures
of Kin Link Apartments click on the picture.
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transit accommodation at Kin Link Apartments
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At present there are approximately 175 houses in the Shell housing
area. Over the years most houses have been renovated and adjusted
to the needs of their occupants. There are six different types of
houses on camp, but you will find that very few houses are exactly
the same. As a company employee, the choice you have is governed
by the number of housing points you've collected; points are related
to marital status, number of children, years of service, job group
and availability etc.. The rules tend to change from time to time
to cater for new situations, sudden demand or lack of demand.
For more information and pictures
of houses in Piasau Camp click on the picture.
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an ETC type house on Piasau Camp
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Immediately adjacent to Piasau Camp, in the direction of the Shell
offices is Taman Bayshore, a commercial housing area. Sarawak Shell
Berhad has rented a number of the semi detached houses here to cope
with the increase in staff numbers. These modern houses have been
built recently and are part of a larger development plan. Some families
will be in transit while others have chosen Taman Bayshore
as their permanent address.
For more information and pictures
of houses at Taman Bayshore click on the picture. |
semi detached houses at Taman Bayshore
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The "own rental" option as it is called in SSB housing
jargon, caters for families and individuals that want to rent accommodation
on the open market. There is a variety of houses available in Miri,
ranging from high-rise apartment units to detached and semi-detached
single and double story bungalows and villas. There are very few
condominiums and service apartments with extra facilities such as
swimming pool, tennis courts etc., as there are in Kuala Lumpur.
Accommodation is usually rented un-furnished although there are
houses where some of the landlord's furniture is available. You
may have to negotiate as to whether this stays or goes. Even unfurnished
accommodation generally comes with standard facilities like built-in
cupboards/ wardrobes, ceiling fans, air conditioners, oven / fridge
and a hot water system. Houses on the whole are sizeable, with larger
reception / living areas. Some people even find it difficult to
fill the living areas with sufficient furniture, but sizes do vary
widely. Most gardens are very small as houses are built to the maximum
size on their "lot". Very few houses in Miri have a private
swimming pool. There is usually a car porch large enough for 2 cars
and most the properties are surrounded by a fence with a large front
gate.
Distances are short in the Miri but traffic is on the increase
and short distances are starting to take more time. There are peak
times linked to the local school hours, very early in the morning
(before 7am), at lunchtime and around 3.30 - 4 pm. The decision
on where to live is often based on where children go to school and
how long it will take to get to work There are no really "naturally
attractive housing areas" in Miri with the exception perhaps
of Luak Bay. This neighbourhood is built along the coast, on a headland
southwest of the city centre. It is however too far from the SSB
Office, which is located to the northwest of the city centre, to
be of real interest.
Most people working for Shell, Petronas and oil service companies
rent accommodation in areas near Piasau. Residential areas such
as Pujut, Krokop, Desa Seri (near the Boulevard shopping complex)
and Lutong are very popular. Shops and other amenities are within
a 10 minute drive from these locations.
Housing estates where houses are built in a similar style are
becoming more and more popular, but it is still possible to rent
a property in somewhat unique locations (e.g. next to a traditional
Malay house or a run down wooden shack). When renting a house on
the open market, you may want to check whether the neighbourhood
you are interested in, has a neighbourhood security program, which
is run by residents and otherwise known as "Rukun Tetangga".
Most unfurnished houses are equipped with a number of security features
like an alarm system, grills and an automatic gate. Have a look
at Security and Safety in Miri for more
details on these issues.
By international standards, housing and renting in Miri is still
relatively cheap though finding your ideal location and going through
the bargaining process can be hassle. If not staying in Shell company
accommodation, most people chose to rent for the duration of their
stay in Miri.
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Whether living in town, Taman Bayshore or on the Piasau Camp, an
amah, the local name for a helper, can be hired to be live-in or
work part-time. Most people also employ a gardener or grass-cutter
to take care of the garden.
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