Back then, the nine-block complex – Penang’s first high-rise low-cost housing project – offered residents a commanding view of the cityscape.
“It was so neat and nice. Everything was brand new when we moved here,” said the 73-year-old retiree, whose family was relocated after their home in Farquhar Street was acquired by the government.
Fifty-six years later, their dream home has become more of a nightmare.
“These days, we have to be careful, or else ‘pecah kepala’ (you’ll break your head). Every other hour, bottles, diapers and all sorts of things are hurled down from the upper floors.
“In the past 10 years, not only has this place become full of people, but I think there are more rats than residents, too. Don’t get me started on the bird poop problem,” he added.
The Rifle Range Flats, known as “Pat Cheng Por” to locals, were built on an 8ha site in Air Itam previously used as a shooting range by the police and military.
Today, it is Penang’s largest low-cost housing project, home to nearly 15,000 residents across 3,699 units, with 449 state-owned units reserved for the poor.
The federal government’s proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) aims to tear down and rebuild ageing buildings. Residents like Choong, while sceptical, say the bill comes at a good time.
“If there’s a building that needs tearing down, it is this one. But before you do that, make sure we get a temporary house and are given another house once that’s done,” he said.
Another resident, a 67-year-old who only wanted to be known as Ah Chye, also agreed that the flats should be demolished as it was “beyond repair”.
“The plumbing pipes are gone, the power lines are shorting out. No matter how many times we repair them, the problems come back. The lifts are not reliable. Just do it already. We don’t want to wait until we die,” he said.
Rashid Adam Shah, 60, who has been running a drinks stall for the past 45 years, called for better amenities for all, such as a nice playground, walkway and a surau for residents.
Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid, who has long pushed for the Rifle Range Flats’ renewal, said it should be a priority project under the URA, and should be considered for a pilot project.
“We cannot just continue allowing this area to exist the way it is. Something must be done,” she said.
She said Penang authorities and PR1MA Corp Malaysia had previously discussed a staged redevelopment plan for the Rifle Range Flats, which would see a temporary housing block built for residents to move in to while their original block is demolished and rebuilt.
The process would then be repeated for the remaining blocks, in a “mammoth project” that Syerleena said could take between 15 and 20 years to complete.
She said the URA must account for the residents’ views before any urban renewal project takes place.
“When you let residents participate, whether in voting for facilities or deciding on upgrades, it gives them a sense of ownership,” she said.
Syerleena said neglect and poor maintenance had led to decay and a sense of helplessness among residents who see their surroundings getting worse.
She said urban renewal should take careful steps to avoid buildings becoming high-density housing projects resembling ghettos.
“This is where you need enforcement. You need everyone to play a part – the housing officers, management, the local councils – because you cannot let a few bad actors hold an entire community hostage,” she said.
Although the Urban Renewal Act could bring a fresh start for the Rifle Range Flats, Syerleena said such a transformation would take decades.
“I’m not even sure if I’ll still be alive to see the completion of Rifle Range’s redevelopment,” she said. - FMT
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