Keep your promise, Selangor MB told

PJS 1 residents are upset over the long delay in building low-cost houses for them.

PETALING JAYA: Disgruntled residents of Petaling Jaya Selatan (PJS 1) want Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim to intervene and start immediate construction of houses promised to them in December last year.

Representing the 276 affected families, PJS1 Block E action committee chairman M Sugumaran said if the state government was serious about helping them, it should be proactive in plans to build low-cost houses for the affected residents.

“We are fed up with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat government. For the last 54 years Indians have been suppressed by the BN government and it is now Pakatan’s turn… both are the same,” he told FMT today.

According to him, in a meeting with residents at the end of last year Khalid gave several options to the affected house buyers.

One option was starting two affordable housing projects at the land near Taman Kanagapuram and near the longhouses, with the units being offered to Block E buyers at RM99,000, from the original price of RM160,000.

Another option was for them to be relocated to the Projek Perumahan Rakyat Termiskin (PPR) flat at Lembah Subang 2 and a cash payment of RM20,000.

“Since all options were rejected by us, the state government said that it had identified a plot of land nearby PJS to build low-cost houses for the 276 families, but it did not give any further details about the land. If the state government was serious, then it should just clear the land and start construction,” said Sugumaran.

“They [state government] had earlier offered a PPR flat worth RM35,000 and RM20,000 in cash, totalling RM55,000. And it is not a big deal for the state government to build low-cost houses with the money,” he added.

Sugumaran also said the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has allocated RM500,000 to repair 29 long houses situated in PJS 1.

“The 29 families are part of the 276 families, and they are living in deplorable conditions,” said.

He also said MBPJ deputy mayor Puasa Md Taib had promised to sort out the long houses problem within the next two months.

“We met the MBPJ officials today after a small protest in front of MBPJ. They have promised to look at issues at the longhouses,” he added.