KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Effort is underway to provide adequate low cost houses to overcome the problem of squatters in the national capital, said Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad.

He said the government endeavoured to overcome the problem and would strive to ensure that Kuala Lumpur would reach a level where the problem of squatters could be reduced or eradicated.

‘’Not by chasing them away but more importantly we find a solution to the housing problems for all quarters,’’ he said.

In this regard, he said: ‘’When there are no squatters, there would be no areas which have not complied with the safety regulations, from the angle of safety equipment and arrangements.

‘’So, if we provide low cost houses, they will have adequate features in terms of design, facilities and others to ensure safety,’’ he said after officiating a 2019 Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department’s (FRD) Fire Safety Awareness Campaign, Anti-Snatch Theft and the launching of a Fire Literate Housewife at Sentul Boulevard here today.

Commenting on the campaign, he said the ministry would co-operate with the Kuala Lumpur FRD to organise awareness campaigns at People’s Housing Programme (PHP) areas.

‘’We will encourage that such a programme be increased in the PHP areas so that the FRD can approach the communities and the latter can increase their knowledge on the safety issues. We will arrange and provide budgets for the programmes,’’ he said.

According to Khalid, the campaign was also aimed at training housewives to be able to manage the situation during a fire and to use a fire extinguisher.

Until last March, the Kuala Lumpur FRD had recorded 487 cases of fire in the national capital. — Bernama