PSM: Why auction disabled man’s house without notice

Balan Perumal, paralysed in a workplace accident, claims his home was auctioned by Bank Simpanan Nasional before insurance money came in.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) today handed in a memorandum to Bank Negara over the sale via auction of a house belonging to a man who became disabled after a workplace accident.

In the memorandum, PSM further claimed that Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) had auctioned off the house without any notice.

Balan Perumal, who is paralysed from the waist down following a workplace accident, said that troubles with the bank started in July last year when he purchased a house in Taman Seremban Jaya and paid monthly instalments of RM700 to BSN.

“I informed BSN of my problem and they were aware that I am in the process of claiming my insurance. So, why proceed with auctioning off my house?

“This is unfair to disabled people like me. They are auctioning off my house without any notice,” he said.

PSM Central Committee Member S Arutchelvan said that Balan paid his instalments on time every month, and that it was unfair for him to be treated this way.

He explained that Balan stopped paying his instalments when Balan’s sister, Devi Perumal, said she met an officer attached to BSN headquarters and told Balan to apply for insurance, which will cover the cost of the instalments.

However, according to Arutchelvan, Balan’s house was already put up for auction before the insurance request was granted.

“This is unfair. He was denied insurance because of a technical problem, and the insurance said that he can appeal until June 2016. However, his house was already auctioned on February 2016.”

Prior to this, PSM handed in a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) urging for their intervention on the matter.