Cameron Highlands folk camp outside PMO over housing issue

A group of about 50 Cameron Highlands residents are protesting outside the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Putrajaya over housing issues.

The residents, led by PSM Cameron Highlands secretary B Suresh Kumar, have been waiting at the PMO to set an appointment with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak since 11.30am today.

As of the time of writing, they have yet to be met by anyone from the PMO.

“We have decided not to budge until we get the appointment letter. Six of us will hold inside the (PMO’s lobby),” Suresh Kumar said to Malaysiakini today.

While six of them are waiting inside the building, the others are outside and have been chanting to get the PMO’s attention.

“Long live the rakyat, houses are Malaysians’ rights,” were some of the slogans they chanted outside the lobby area.

The residents are families from the Bottom 40 economic group, who have lived in Cameron Highlands for decades but are still unable to purchase a house due to soaring property prices as well as “unreasonable” purchase conditions for PR1MA houses, Suresh Kumar said.

They would like to meet with the prime minister to resolve this issue, he said.

The group had previously attempted to get a meeting with the prime minister on Oct 24, but were told to leave.

They were purportedly promised by an officer at PMO that they would receive a letter of appointment by e-mail or postal, although they have not received such a letter, he said. -Mkini