Sharing personal stories, Bkt Gasing rep moots tribunal to address rental racism

 

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran has proposed that the Housing and Local Government Ministry set up a landlord-tenant tribunal to help resolve the rental market’s racial discrimination problem. 

He also shared his personal experience of being turned down for property viewings seemingly because he is Indian.

At an online press conference this morning, Rajiv contended that a tribunal will provide both owners and tenants to a quick and affordable redress mechanism should disputes arise.

“A landlord-tenant tribunal will be able to adjudicate problems that both landlords and tenants face including unpaid rent but also problems that the tenant may face on their side, like if the landlord refuses to repair a broken toilet or a leaky roof.

“These grouses [...] should not have to go through a lengthy court process which is the only legal resort that people have today,” he explained.

He opined that such a tribunal was a “practical way” to address owners’ oft-cited reasons for their apprehension against Indian tenants - unpaid rent and damage to property.

“I believe this will play a big part in moving us away from racial profiling when it comes to property.

“Once breaches of contract can be dealt with with a mechanism that is easy and accessible to everyone, then landlords will be in a better position to not have to resort to racial profiling and they can be more comfortable in opening (up their rentals) to everyone,” he said.

A recent analysis of more than 9,000 online listings on one property website saw owners preferring Chinese or Malay tenants (45 percent) over Indian tenants (19 percent) while the rest did not state any preference (37 percent).

Rajiv, who was first elected in 2013, shared his first encounter with racial discrimination in the rental market when he tried to book a property viewing appointment five years ago.

“I moved from Subang Jaya to Petaling Jaya in 2015 so in that first hunt for houses that was the problem I faced. Where if I were to make the call, all properties seemed to be already rented out and not available.

“But if my assistant who is a Chinese lady makes the calls, then viewing is available [...] ironically the landlord was Indian,” he recalled during the press conference.

The DAP lawmaker said he has continually been ignored by property agents including when he was house-hunting this year.

As a property owner himself, Rajiv shared in disbelief how a property agent once assured him that no applications by Indian tenants would be accepted.

“This is the reality and I have lived through this reality,” he said.

Rajiv thus reiterated the need for a landlord-tenant tribunal to help address racial profiling and discrimination in the rental market.

Malaysiakini is contacting Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin for comment.  - Mkini