Hardcore poor waited 11 years, Penang exco tells ineligible public housing occupants

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 28 — Penang is cracking down on ineligible tenants of People’s Housing Project (PPR) units to make room for genuine hardcore poor families who have been waiting for units for over 11 years.

Penang state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo said there were 22 families with incomes below RM1,500 per month among the group waiting to rent PPR units for the RM100 monthly fee.

“A majority of our applicants, a total 271 applicants, have waited for seven years to rent a unit each,” he said.

He said the waiting list for PPR units is now at 1,137 applicants, with 494 awaiting units in Taman Manggis.

He was commenting on yesterday’s enforcement action against 22 tenants in Taman Manggis, one of the PPR flats in George Town, when local authorities evicted them and padlocked their units after issuing eviction notices months ahead.

The state local government, housing development and town and country planning committee chairman said Penang was short of PPR units so it must be strict on the eligibility.

“Those who own properties are ineligible so they will be evicted because these units are for the hardcore poor without homes,” he said.

He said the state housing committee will conduct regular eligibility checks and reminded those with household incomes above RM1,500 monthly to vacate.

“Of course, we (also) can’t allow those who are driving big cars with television sets larger than yours and mine but have defaulted in rentals for many months to continue renting these units,” he said.

Jagdeep said the Taman Manggis tenants have been given a reprieve until March 6 to remove their personal belongings and vacate the units, but said those with valid reasons may appeal.

He also stressed that PPR units are strictly for Malaysians so those with foreign spouses are not eligible.

On defaulters, Jagdeep said the housing committee will look into respective cases before deciding on the action to be taken.

“Since 2016, the committee has sat 10 times and deliberated on 839 cases, out of which, 246 cases had been decided for action to be taken against,” he said.

He said those who genuinely could not afford to pay the rental and maintenance charges will be given assistance and various types of installment payment packages.

“Clearly, action to evict is the last resort for these cases,” he said.