Junz (fourth right), Dewi (third right), Andrew (second left) and others at the press conference on the eviction of Tanjung Aru flats’ residents.
KOTA KINABALU: All residents of the 315-unit Tanjung Aru flats served with eviction notice to vacate the premises have refused to move out until the Sabah’s Town and Housing Development Board (LPPB) provides them with suitable housing for them to relocate.
For the time being, the residents have requested LPPB to carry out maintenance on the building for the sake of their safety.
The residents also demanded a meeting with LPPB to discuss the issue.
Built 50 years ago in the 1970s for rent by LPPB, the 11 blocks of four-storey flats house more than 1,000 residents. The tenants pay RM170 monthly for the 6,000 square feet flat.
Dewi Awang, who heads the Action Bureau of Tanjung Aru Flats’ Residents, said the residents could not afford to pay the rent for their new homes as most of them have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.
She said majority of the residents relied on daily wages.
“Most of us are in the B40 group, single mothers, disabled people (OKU), senior citizens and the hardcore poor.”
She said moving out to a far location would disrupt the daily routine of senior citizens and OKU who needed to visit health clinics for medical review, while parents have to bear a higher cost in sending their children to school.
“Parents will also have to pay more for childcare as they would have lost neighbours who are willing to babysit,” she lamented in a press conference called by Tanjung Aru assemblyman Datuk Junz Wong here on Thursday.
LPPB has issued a notice of eviction to the residents on May 24, citing that the fabric and structure of the old building has deteriorated, which not only affects daily lives but also put the safety of residents at risk.
The notice also states that the increasingly serious and frequent damages are no longer economical nor practical to repair.
Tanjung Aru’s flat.
As the availability of LPPB housing is limited, priority will be given to tenants who suffer extensive damage in their units and who do not owe outstanding rental payments, OKU and senior citizens to move to any rental housing managed by LPPB.
Dewi said the notice had instructed all residents to vacate the buildings as soon as possible without prior negotiation or consensus from them.
She said a special meeting between the action bureau, chiefs of the respective blocks and residents was held at the night of May 24 to discuss the eviction notice, where it was unanimously decided that the residents would not move out until the issue of their resettlement has been ironed out.
She said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, accompanied by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor and Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Shahelmey Yahya, had visited a family of four with two disabled children, on March 22 this year.
“The Prime Minister himself has listened to the plight of the residents here.
“We appeal to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister to allow us to stay at the flats until LPPB provides suitable housing near our existing residence to relocate all 315 households.
“In terms of safety, we request LPPB to continue the maintenance of the buildings while we are staying here.”
Dewi claimed that LPPB has ceased to carry out maintenance at the flats since 15 years ago, despite repeated requests from the residents.
LPPB in a press conference on Thursday said the residents would be given seven months till the end of the year to vacate Tanjung Aru flats and there was available housing under LPPB for them to move into.
In response, Andrew Wong, who is a member of the action bureau, said the latest statements made by LPPB was contradictory to its eviction notice.
“There is no black and white to support its claims on the availability of LPPB housing. Now they are making a U-turn, how are we supposed to believe them?”
He also requested LPPB to produce proof that the flat building was not safe, or else the residents would stay put while waiting for LPPB to plan where to relocate them.
“We could not afford to buy a house, given that housing prices in Sabah are among the highest in Malaysia.”
Meanwhile, Junz urged LPPB and relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to have a dialogue with the residents.
He pointed out that LPPB’s mission was to build homes for Sabahans.
“What is LPPB’s plan for the land after the residents have moved out?
“Why not temporarily relocated the residents and rebuild the flats for them?” he asked, adding that this was the plan of the previous state government led by Parti Warisan Sabah.