KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — They know it is not the fault of foreign workers living in crammed conditions, which can lead to a negative spillover effect in neighbourhoods.
And the presidents of various residents associations want something to be done to solve the problem.
Sri Hartamas Residents Association president Wan Muhammad Amin Wan Yahya said residents around the Jalan Sri Hartamas 2 townhouses were unhappy with the increasing number of foreigners in their area.
“It is a major concern for everyone here as we fear for our safety,” he said.
He, however, said employers, property owners and the government should be held responsible for the problem.
“Employers should provide better living conditions for workers as it is against human rights to pack 15 to 20 people in a small house,” he said.
“Property owners, who rent out their houses to these employers should set guidelines or rules as to how many people are allowed to stay in a house. They need to make frequent visits to their lots to ensure the place is well-maintained.”
He said the government needed to have proper guidelines to monitor the placement of workers when they entered the country.
Subang Jaya Residents Association president A.S. Gill said there had been no major concerns in regard to the foreigners living in the area.
“These foreigners have not caused any problems since they moved in. My major concern is there are too many of them placed in a house or apartment unit,” he said.
He said the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) had come up with a move to handle the issue where proper guidelines were issued to ensure the houses in the area were not overcrowded.
“Neighbours who live around these houses packed with foreigners should step up and complain,” he said.
“The local council will follow up by conducting an inspection on the particular unit, and will liaise with the house owners about the new guidelines to ensure these workers are not being placed in unhealthy living conditions.”
Bangsar Baru Residents Association president Datuk George Joseph said foreigners lived in Bangsar because of the surrounding commercial areas.
“Their numbers have been increasing and now, nearly 35 of the houses here are occupied by foreigners. Of course, these foreigners need a place to stay but they should not be placed in such bad conditions,” he said.
“The houses are badly kept and checks found 20 to 25 people staying in one house. If the houses they stay in are well kept, it is of no concern to us. Some of these foreigners are nice people and live in neat and tidy conditions.”
Businessman Cheah G-Mun, 58, who has been living in Jalan Sri Hartamas 2 for the past 10 years, feel the workers should be placed elsewhere.
“These people are unhygienic and live in a mess. Some even bathe on the balcony,” he said.
Cheah also said there had been cases where broken alcohol bottles littered the streets, which could hurt residents or puncture vehicle tyres.
“What we care most about is the safety of our neighbourhood. If they could live in a hygienic and tidy manner, we would have no issues with them.”
Property negotiator Martin Lee, 45, feels the property value of the area decreased due to the increase in foreigners, pointing out a unit between two townhouses occupied by foreign workers could not find a buyer for the past year.
Resident Zali Mansor, 38, said hygiene was a major issue as there was rubbish in the back lanes that attracted rats.
“It is also an eyesore to see a lot of clothes hanging at balconies for days and even months. Sometimes, there is a strong stench,” he said, adding that residents had seen cardboard partitions put up in rooms and halls to accommodate more people.
