A GROUP of Padang Tembak PPR (people’s public housing) flat residents in Penang is battling an eviction order from the state government. 

Penang Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) committee member R. Karthiges, who is assisting the group, said five families faced eviction and could find themselves locked out of their homes next week. 

The state government had given the families “unreasonable excuses” for their eviction, he said. 

“It is true they owed the state rent in the past but they have been paying their rent, along with the arrears. 

“Now, other excuses are given to tell them to leave. This is not pro-rakyat,” he told reporters at Komtar. 

Representatives of the five families turned up at Komtar this afternoon to stage a protest at the entrance of the state government office. They bore placards telling the state government not to deny them a home. 

Gertrude Winsent, 35, who earns a minimum wage as a police station cleaner, said she was told to vacate the flat because she earns more than RM750 – the maximum income for eligibility as a PPR flat tenant. 

Jarina Abdullah was told to get out because she is married to a foreigner, even though she has been consistently paying rent. 

Mahathir Hajah Mydeen, 20, who lives with his mother and younger brother, was told to vacate the premises because he is under 21. 

T. Mohan Kumar, 24, who lives with his aunt, was told he does not qualify for a PPR unit because he is still single. 

Mahathir and Mohan, whose PPR units were taken up by now deceased family members, have also been regularly paying rent.

Only Hairoon K.N. Shaikati, 57, who lives with two elderly brothers and a son, was told to leave because of owed rent. 

Karthiges said the state government should do away with conditions that were anti-worker, anti-women and contradictory to federal PPR flats regulations. 

He questioned why the state had to set RM750 as the maximum income for individuals to qualify for PPR housing. 

“Those facing evictions are bottom 40 (bottom 40% income group) citizens. They work as factory operators, labourers, cleaners, and the like. They earn a minimum wage of RM1,000. 

“We are confused by this anti-worker condition that gives the impression that only people without formal employment can live in a PPR home while regular workers are not qualified,” he said. 

Karthiges also questioned the under-RM1,500 household income requirement for a PPR home.

He said most B40 households, with the husband and wife working, would earn over RM1,500. 

“It doesn’t make sense to set the maximum income requirement for households at RM1,500 for PPR homes,” he said. 

Karthiges said it is discriminatory and undemocratic to tell a woman to leave just because her husband is a foreigner. 

“Jarina’s husband is seeking PR (permanent resident) status. Both husband and wife are minimum wage earners. 

“Why does the state follow a condition that discriminates against women? Is it to say that a woman in the B40 group has no right to choose her life partner if she wants to live in a PPR unit?” he said. 

Karthiges also asked why unmarried people do not qualify for a PPR flat. 

He said the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry does not have regulations regarding  the marital status of PPR unit tenants.

And while the federal government’s minimum age requirement for a PPR applicant is 18, the Penang government’s is 21, he said. 

“If Pakatan Harapan politicians want the government to let 18-year-olds vote, why has Penang set the PPR housing age requirement at 21?

“Shouldn’t the state government look into the basic needs of the youth? Or is it only targeting to make them voters?”

Karthiges said even for those with arrears to pay, the amount should be reasonable, considering the families’ difficult situations.

Hairoon has to pay RM500 a month – half is the rent and half is for arrears, he said.

“But her son works as a labourer. He doesn’t have a fixed income. He gets about RM700 a month,” he said. 

Karthigesu said the state still had many other vacant PPR units available in the Padang Tembak area. 

He asked the state to hold off the eviction order issued this month to allow the residents to meet with state housing exco Jagdeep Singh Deo to negotiate a solution. 

He said if that didn’t work out, the people might have to camp at Komtar. 

“The state needs to recognise that there are not many housing options for the B40 group in Penang. 

“The state should provide housing for the poor who cannot afford to buy or rent a home,” he said. – December 29, 2017.