Reduan (right) presenting mandarin oranges to one of the Tanjung Aru residents.
KOTA KINABALU (Jan 25): The Tanjung Aru Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM) has urged the Sabah Housing and Town Development Board (LPPB) to immediately identify nearby People’s Housing Project (PPR) houses for the Tanjung Aru Flat residents who had just been ordered to move out.
Community Development Leader (PPM) Reduan Aklee said he disagreed with the LPPB’s current plan to move to the distant PPRs.
“Do not relocate them to distant PPRs in Sepanggar such as Puri Warisan and Taman Jaya Diri,” he told reporters when met during his UPPM’s Chinese New Year walkabout in Tanjung Aru town, here on Tuesday.
Reduan stressed that the LPPB has to work together with the State Ministry of Local Government and Housing (KKTP) as well as the Penampang and Putatan District Councils to identify nearby vacant PPRs.
If the Tanjung Aru Flat could still be repaired, Reduan opined that the government should do so while looking for a new housing area for the residents.
He had met with LPPB’s top management on January 6 to look for solution to the problem.
During the meeting, Reduan had urged LPPB to obtain reports from the Public Works Department (JKR) or other relevant agencies on the actual condition of the Tanjung Aru Flat.
He disclosed that he will conduct further meetings with the 11 block leaders.
“The evacuation date for the residents has not been set yet. LPPB is only using the notice dated December, 2021. However, LPPB still has the responsibility to find a new home for the residents.
“If the residents have not found their new home just yet, they will not be asked to move out. Therefore, there is no such thing ‘driving away’ residents,” he said.
In May last year, LPPB had issued a notice of eviction to the residents, citing that the fabric and structure of the old building have deteriorated, which not only affected daily lives but also put the safety of residents at risk.
Recently, LPPB chairman Datuk Masiung Banah went to Tanjung Aru Flat to observe the eviction process but was met with objections by the residents.
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, which is better known as Rumah Pangsa to locals.