The Malaysian Insight

HOUSING and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin has defended the eviction of several families from the Taman Manggis People’s Housing Programme (PPR) flats in Penang, saying that the government must be firm on enforcement and uphold the rule of law.

Zuraida said unless authorities take firm action against wrongdoers, the people will never understand and accept laws and rules.

“If enforcement is weak, there will be issues following it,” she said.

Penang’s housing authorities recently evicted 22 tenants from the PPR flats in George Town. Dramatic protests followed after eight families were locked out of their homes, despite being informed earlier that they were no longer eligible to live in the heavily subsidised housing units meant for the hardcore poor.

Zuraida said the issue had been blown out of proportion, and enforcement of rules governing the PPR flats had been lax.

“If enforcement had been firm, with decisions and actions taken, this would not have happened.

“We have to enhance our enforcement. When we do this, the people will understand the laws and regulations better. Then, they will follow the law.

“We have to expose them to the law and guidelines. It has to be both: firm enforcement and understanding of the law,” she said after an International Women’s Day programme in Seberang Jaya today.

Zuraida said Penang housing exco Jagdeep Singh Deo had explained that the reasons for the evictions ranged from failure to pay rent for years to some families having incomes exceeding the income cap for eligible tenants.

Others were found to own properties elsewhere. One family was evicted because some of the occupants were foreigners.

Zuraida said the state government had to stand its ground, but added those who were evicted but did not have another place to stay should not have to resort to sleeping on the streets.

“I think the state government can handle it… (there’s) no need (for the people) to sleep at Komtar,” she said.

Six Taman Manggis families have been camping outside Komtar, where the state government offices are located, to protest the eviction since Wednesday. Local Malay-Muslim rights groups have come out in support of the families, playing up the issue online and offline.

The groups caused a ruckus yesterday evening when Bersatu supreme council member Abu Bakar Yahya, who is also Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s political secretary, visited them after meeting state authorities.

When he could not give them an immediate solution, the families and their supporters grew angry and tried to attack Abu Bakar as he left Komtar.

“These political gestures and drama will not go anywhere,” Zuraida said.

“As a responsible and caring government, we will still sit and talk to the tenants, even though we know they had broken the law.” – March 8, 2019.