Blind man and single mother may lose homes

BUTTERWORTH: A blind man and a single mother have been told to pay their rental arrears by next Thursday or have their flats at Taman Bagan Jaya here repossessed by the State Housing Department.

Fadzil Mohd Hassan, 61, who became blind 13 years ago and who owes the housing department RM5,300 in rental arrears, claimed he received a call from the department at about 11.30am on Thursday.

★Helpless: Fadzil at his home in Taman Bagan Jaya. He has been given seven days to settle his rental arrears by the Penang State Housing Department.
“They are giving me seven days to settle my arrears and if I fail to settle the amount, I will be forced to vacate the unit,” he said.

Fadzil alleged that the caller refused to accept his plea when he asked for some time to settle the dues as he was seeking assistance from Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua.

“My wife has high blood pressure and does part-time jobs.

“We have three children including two schoolgoing kids,” he added at a press conference.

Single mother Roshimah Ishak, 48, claimed that she received a call from the department to settle the rental arrears amounting to RM4,500 within a week.

“I became jobless after a forklift's tyre rolled over my feet several years ago,” said the mother of two children, aged 17 and 25.

“I now wonder about the sincerity of the state government which claims to be a caring government,” she said.

Both Fadzil and Roshimah sought Chua's help when he visited the Taman Bagan Jaya public housing project on Thursday.

Chua, who is also Bagan MCA Youth chairman, called on Penang Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai to help such people.

from The Star