3,000 Still Waiting for PPR Homes in Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR: Approximately 3,000 applicants are still on the waiting list to obtain housing under the People’s Housing Programme (PPR), reflecting the high demand for affordable housing in the capital.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh said all applications will be processed according to the set terms and priorities to ensure that assistance is channeled to those who are truly eligible.

According to her, several criteria are also considered, including police and fire personnel stationed near the community, as well as special cases such as families who have lost their breadwinner or have many dependents.

“The waiting list is indeed long. All applications are processed according to the set criteria and focused on the B40 group who are truly in need.

“There are also lots that we allocate for fire and police personnel because we want these teams to be present within the community to help,” she told reporters after the PPR Offer Letter and Hawker Centre Premises Handover Ceremony at the Seri Pantai People’s Housing Programme (PPR) here today.

At the same ceremony, DBKL handed over PPR offer letters to 29 new recipients, comprising 15 Malay recipients and 14 Indian recipients, as well as offer letters for the filling of hawker centre premises to 40 local traders in eight Kuala Lumpur parliamentary constituencies.

Elaborating further, Hannah said the government has also allocated RM2.59 million for maintenance and upgrade works at PPR Seri Pantai as part of the RM300 million allocation approved by the MADANI Government to upgrade PPRs throughout Kuala Lumpur.

She said the upgrade works have been completed, involving various basic facilities used by residents daily, including lifts, roads, lighting systems, water pumps and fire prevention systems.

“This allocation is to ensure residents enjoy more comfortable and safer homes. We implement projects according to the needs of each PPR, not according to specific areas or Parliaments.

“All expenditures are also displayed transparently so that residents can see for themselves how public funds are spent to improve facilities in their areas,” she said.

Of the RM2.59 million total, RM1.6 million was allocated for lift facility upgrades, followed by road resurfacing (RM421,000), lighting system improvements (RM300,000), water pump systems (RM220,430), children’s playgrounds (RM25,000) and fire prevention systems (RM20,870).

Hannah also stressed that the government’s efforts to address urban poverty do not differentiate by race, but are based on the people’s needs.

“In helping the urban poor, we do not look at whether they are Malay, Chinese, Indian or other races. What matters is that they are truly in need of assistance,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Mayor, Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud said PPR Seri Pantai is among 25 upgrade projects that have been implemented out of a total of 64 PPRs and Public Housing (PA) in Kuala Lumpur.

“According to the plan, by the end of this year all 64 PPRs and PAs will be upgraded, particularly involving road repairs, drainage systems, lifts and lighting for the comfort of residents.

“For today’s business location allocation, 21 recipients are Malay, 15 Chinese and four Indian. We always make offers according to applications received and the applicants’ turn, regardless of race,” he said.

Utusan Malaysia