IPOH, Aug 7 ― Residents of Kampung Dewan Bandaraya Ipoh (DBI) and Kampung Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) want the state government to make good its promise 20 years ago to build them new houses.

Led by Parti Sosialis Malaysia central committee member R. Mohanarani, the residents today presented a memorandum on the matter to Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

It was received by the mentri besar's private secretary Nizran Noordin and special officer Khairul Shahril Amir at the entrance of the State Secretariat building.

Mohanarani said the residents had submitted memorandums several times to the state government since the tenure of Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib as the mentri besar.

"The residents in both the villages are workers from the city councils and KTM who have been staying in the place way before Independence.

"However, they were forced to move in 1997. Since then, the residents have been protesting over their housing,” she told reporters.

In 1999, Ramli promised an alternative housing plan for the residents. The plan was to build a terrace house for 205 families in Kampung DBI.

However, Tan Sri Tajol Rosli Mohamed Ghazali, who succeeded Ramli in 2000, had a different plan for the residents.

Instead of building a terrace house, Tajol Rosli said residents who could not afford to buy a new house will be given land.

Mohanarani said the City Council had a joint venture with Syarikat Manjong Development in 2007 to develop the Kampung DBI  terrace houses which will be sold to the residents at a subsidised price of RM16,000 each.

"Despite an agreement signed between the city council and the developer, the project was not implemented,” she said.

In 2009, former mentri besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir announced that state government will give automatic property rights to resident who live on state land for more than 10 years.

In 2011, Datuk Roshidi Hashim, who was the mayor then, suggested building 115 terrace houses at Kampung DBI with subsidised price of RM35,000. 

None of the plans materialised.

Mohanarani said at the moment there are 40 families in Kampung DBI and 10 families in Kampung KTM.

Saroja Ragahvan, 57, a resident of Kampung DBI, said some of the residents had gradually moved out of the village over the years.

"However, not all the families can afford to buy a new house and move out from the village.

"We hope the state government will build new houses for the residents in Kampung DBI as the current wooden houses are dilapidated. We have been waiting for nearly 20 years,” she said. 

Another resident Susai Manikam, 65, said the dilapidated houses were infested by pests, including snakes.

"A resident had died after being bitten by a snake. Not only snakes, sometimes monitor lizards ould easily enter the houses.

"How long do we need to live in this condition? We need a new house as promised to us. We hope the new mentri besar will look into this matter,” he said.