Jeffery listening to grouses by the residents.
KOTA KINABALU (June 20): The Housing and Urban Development Board (LPPB) has ordered the residents of the Tanjung Aru low-cost flats to vacate the premises by August 31 this year, but some of them still have not been offered any alternative housings.
Umno Putatan chief Jeffery Nor Mohamed urged LPPB to hold engagements with the residents before making any related decisions on their planned eviction.
He said those who did receive offers expressed their grouses that the alternative housings are not suitable for them due to factors such as the location being further away from their workplaces and children’s schools.
Jeffrey also called on LPPB to extend the eviction deadline until end of this year to facilitate any relocations considering the two said factors.
In addition, he said the residents are owed a proper and official justification on the board’s reasoning for the eviction being the buildings are unsafe to inhabit.
“We are not denying the State Government’s efforts through LPPB, but they have to be carried out through proper processes instead of just issuing an eviction letter without addressing all the issues that were brought up.
“So I am sincerely hoping for LPPB to act gentlemanly and meet with the residents of the Tanjung Aru low-cost flats, especially as many of them have been staying here since the buildings were erected in the 70s.
“The residents deserve the utmost protection but we are ultimately seeking a win-win situation between both sides in this matter,” he told a press conference at the flats here today.
One of the residents, Andrew Wong, had been staying at the flats with his family of four for 26 years, when LPPB notified them in 2021 that the buildings’ structure has become unsafe to live in and they were asked to relocate.
He said at the time, the residents had requested the relevant authorities to prepare alternative housings for them, and four years have passed since, but some of them still have not been offered any alternatives.
“Now, they have issued an ultimatum to force us to move out. LPPB, this is very unreasonable.
“I work in the tourism sector, earning barely over RM2,000 monthly, and I cannot afford to buy a house,” he said.
Andrew pointed out that the flats originally housed more than 100 families, some of which have already been relocated to Kibabaig, Penampang.
He said other affected families who have purchased houses have already moved out, leaving 82 families remaining at the People’s Housing Project (PPR).
“Most of us are from the B40 group and are eligible applicants of the PPR units.
“However, after waiting for four years, the authorities failed to handle our request and forced us to move out.
“It’s not that we don’t want to leave, but we have nowhere else to go,” he said.
He hopes that the authorities can arrange for his family to be relocated to PPR Kibabaig, adding that he will give his full cooperation if it can be done.
Another resident, Salmah Qadir, 67, concurred on having no other place to go to despite the eviction notice.
She had raised her three children by working as a cook since her husband passed away.
“Now I am old, my knees are in pain, I am blind in one eye and cannot work,” she said.
Salmah’s eldest son will be 36 years old this year.
He is a person with disabilities and does not have a job, solely relying on the monthly RM500 welfare aid form the government.
Her daughter works as a cashier, occasionally sending her money despite working a minimum wage job.
The youngest son, 25, is currently studying at a university.
“We really cannot afford to buy or rent a house, so we hope that the government can help us and give us a house to live in,” said Salmah.