It has been seven years and counting for more than 200 applicants waiting to get a unit at the Taman Manggis people's public housing (PPR) in Jalan Burma, Penang.
Today, some of these applicants were invited by state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo to the state housing department in Komtar to share their views on the issue.
Salbih Mat (photo below), 52, a part-time shop assistant, said she cannot afford to live in rented homes anymore as she is unable to work for long periods due to health problems.
"I only earn about RM40 per day, but I cannot work everyday as I feel sick, I have diabetes and high blood pressure, and my husband has passed away, leaving me with two kids to care for," Salbih told Malaysiakini.
"I feel like I have been waiting for ages, getting a PPR unit would help me ease my financial burden," she added, tearfully.
The discussion today is in response to 22 families who were evicted from the Taman Manggis PPR last week due to ineligibility. They have been given until tomorrow to move out of their units.
Among the reasons cited for the ineligibility are default in payments of rental or maintenance fee and increase in income that exceeds the RM1,500 per household requirement. Some were also found to be married to foreigners or owned other properties.
Accompanying Jagdeep, who is state exco for local government, housing, town and country planning, were assemblypersons Danial Gooi (Pengkalan Kota) and Teh Lai Heng (Komtar).
Juriah Hashim (below, right), is a senior citizen also on the waiting list.
"I am not working, and I need the unit to stay with my children and grandchildren," said the 65-year-old housewife.
"Everyday, I wait for a call from the Penang Housing Department to tell me I have finally been offered a PPR unit.
"If we do get it, we can finally go on with our lives," she added.
Suriani Mohd Ismail and eight of her siblings live in their father's house and she is in dire need of a unit as there isn't much room where she lives now.
"My family too have been waiting, how long more must we wait?" asked the 37-year-old part-time worker.
"We live in my father's house but it is becoming too cramped as there are nine of us brothers and sisters. We are now forced to sleep in the hall.
"We sometimes see many units of empty houses where no one stays, and here we are waiting for a PPR unit for many years," she said.
Chew Kim Choo, 76, has been waiting for a public housing unit for 18 years but only made an application 11 years ago.
Currently, she lives with her brothers in a rented room in Jelutong.
"My living space is small and cramped, I'm not working, only my brother is but he is not earning much, so a public housing unit is what we need," she said.
Lim Cheng Rui (below), 66, lamented that he had been interviewed by the housing department several times in the past.
"Still, I failed to get a unit. I'm not asking for the Taman Manggis unit, I prefer to stay in Rifle Range, where there are also PPR units.
"I hope I will be able to get one soon as I have waited for more than seven years, " said Lim, who works as a hotel cleaner.
At a press conference earlier, Jagdeep said the waiting list for PPR units in Penang currently has 1,137 applicants, where there are 734 for Northeast District, and 494 for Taman Manggis alone.
"Out of the applicants on waiting list for Taman Manggis, the longest (wait) is 10 to 11 years (22 applicants), majority of them waiting more than seven years (271)," he added.
Jagdeep said the 22 families who face eviction from Taman Manggis have appealed the decision.
"However if found to be still inelligible for the units, they would have to vacate their homes by tomorrow, " he stressed. - Mkini
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