A YEAR of movement controls have caused a string of problems for the urban poor living in public housing projects who were already disadvantaged even before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus infections in these densely populated buildings are just one problem they face.

Unemployment, single-parent households, stress and other health issues are also on the rise, said the head of Section 8 Kota Damansara residents association Yuslina Yusuf, using her low-cost housing as one example of what many elsewhere are facing.

Yuslina told The Malaysian Insight that on some days, when she has no answers for residents needing help, she cannot even look them in the face.

Despite receiving donations, distribution is difficult as the needs are “too great”, said the 51-year-old who has led the association since 2017.

“There are 1,152 units, four blocks, and each block has 288 units. Combined, there are an estimated 4,000 mouths to feed.

“But donations of food packs often come in 200 to 300 packs. I don’t know how to resolve it.

“If someone gives me 50 packs of food, I don’t know how to divide. Is it 12 to 13 packs per block?

“Then some will ask, ‘Is that all you got for us?’”

Yuslina said she felt guilty when she could not help residents during the pandemic.

“People are suffering. When I go down(stairs), I cannot even face them.

“Many in this project do not work in essential sectors. They do not work in offices. They are security guards, restaurant workers and their services are not required during the lockdowns.

“This is a group that was already struggling before the movement-control order. Then there is another group that just lost their jobs and cannot sustain themselves anymore,” she said.

Yuslina estimates that in her flats, some 20% of residents have become jobless. And of the over 1,000 units, 30% of the households depend on zakat either in cash form, food or rental relief.

Another growing problem is the increase of single mothers in the housing.

Though she does not have the numbers, Yuslina said there are young families that fall into this situation when the fathers are arrested for drug-related activities.

“Because of Covid-19, we can’t go to survey and find out the accurate numbers.

“In some cases, the women got pregnant but didn’t get married. There were more than six such cases between June last year and June this year.”

Covid-19 and health issues

At least 10 families in this housing project were infected with Covid-19 between April and June this year, Yuslina said.

“Most of the cases are under home quarantine but they can’t stay within their 60.4 sq m home for long, so some may not have obeyed the SOP (standard operating procedure),” she said.

Thankfully, there have been no deaths from Covid-19 at the housing project.

But even without Covid-19, health concerns are routine for the low-income community, who do not have the luxury of paying for early detection, and whose illnesses affect their families and ability to earn in drastic ways.

“One of the residents had a thyroid gland that swelled on one side.

“He went to Selayang Hospital and now the doctor suspects cancer, so he cannot work in this condition.

“His wife sells drinks and the children are in university. I have told them I can only help with the food bank, but I cannot sustain their livelihood,” she said.

Another resident’s 16-year-old son recently met with an accident.

The youth has to undergo three surgeries, which cost RM1,900 each at the Shah Alam Hospital.

The first operation was done on April 19 and the next is scheduled on June 24.

“I have raised only RM500 for the second operation and I am worried I cannot pay up,” the boy’s mother, who did not want to be named, told The Malaysian Insight.

“In addition to that, I also struggle with other medical costs such as the daily dressing of the wound. I also need to save up to buy a wheelchair for him.”

The mother, a single parent, works as a security guard at a nearby school with a monthly salary of RM1,600, and also raises three younger children, aged 13, 12 and nine.

“I am so tempted to borrow from the loan sharks. I haven’t received my salary for May, the month in which I didn’t work for 14 days because I was a Covid-19 patient.

“I fear my pay will get cut not only for the 14 days but also on the days I had to be with my son in hospital,” she said.

She has arranged for legal aid for the vehicle driver who hit her son’s motorcycle to file a claim.

How the public can help

One non-profit organisation that has been helping the housing project is Community Transformation Initiative (CTI), which has established a presence there since 2011.

CTI is now in the process of raising RM30,000 after receiving applications for aid from the residents.

The money will be spent on oximeters, food baskets and other emergency needs, said CTI chief executive officer Margaret Loy.

“Oximeters will be used for those Covid-19 positive families who are quarantined at home,” said Loy.

“The oximeter measures their oxygen saturation level so they know when they really need to go to the hospital.

“As of Friday, RM12,300 has been raised. We need another RM17,700,” Loy said.

Donations are welcome via the bank account Community Transformation Initiative Bhd MBB 5123 5261 8446.

For information, write to [email protected]. – June 8, 2021.