Joint Media Statement by Policy Director and ADUN Senai, Wong Shu Qi, ADUN Johor Jaya, Liow Cai Tung and ADUN Pengkalan Rinting, Cheo Yee How on 10th April 2014 (Thursday):
People’s Housing Programme failed to provide a decent living place to lower income household and uplift the socioeconomic status of tenants.
Both Johore state government and federal government must review the priority of having so many people’s housing programs in Johore while that is obviously not efficient in managing the program revealed by the latest Auditor’s General Report.
It was revealed in the Auditor’s General Report for Year 2013 that there is more than 1,280 units of housing flat supposed to be rented out to lower income household, yet, not successfully occupied by end of 2013 due to the negligence of either local councils or inability of SUK Housing Division. .
For instances, 3 blocks of housing flat (Block D, E and G) in the PPR Kempas Permai, Tampoi and all 5 block of Flat Setia Indah.
We must note that the cases raised in the report are only tips of the iceberg. Major blunders found in the two cases could be found somewhere else and eventually nullify the effort that government tries to assist lower income families.
The ultimate purpose to have public housing programme or people’s housing programme is to uplift the socioeconomic status of lower income household. Hence, all rental rate of people’s housing programme are low.
That is a shelter provided by public fund, allowed our people to have decent living and being able to move up on the social ladder through accessing economic chances.
However, in the case of PPR Kempas Permai, we found not only the delays in renting out that caused 964 units vacant in past three years a blunder in managing the flats. We found also the location and the design of the public housing programme a regrettable plan.
There is no public transportation connects the housing flats to downtown or nearest commercial centre. Is our state government expecting those who only pay around RM100 for a shelter would be able to afford few hundreds mortgage loan and the petrol cost?
While government lost RM 1.11million revenue from leaving 964 units in PPR Kempas Permai abandoned and vacant for 34 months, we regret for the fact that 964 or even more families who need public housing lost the chances of getting in.
Undoubtedly, we can’t expect luxurious housing or services since it is a public housing project, yet, the government should at least provide basic infrastructures that can assist in uplifting the living quality of lower income households.
Public housing is one of the important elements that make the city great. By giving lower income households a better living environment, better access to public transportation, better chances of getting job, we are helping the people, and also solving innumerable social issues.
Therefore, we hereby urge the state government to review its ultimate purposes of having so many People’s Housing Programme if they have ever wanted to fulfill the mission, so we can have better public housing instead of leaving the houses vacant.
Wong Shu Qi
Cheo Yee How
Liow Cai Tung