U-turn on eviction plan

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government has backed down and softened its stand against residents of the Taman Bagan Jaya flats in Butterworth who have not settled their rental arrears.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai assured residents that their flats would not be repossessed by the state Housing Depart-ment.

Bagan Barisan Nasional co-ordinator David Chua – who had highlighted to the state government that more than 20 families, including a blind man and a single mother, had been given an ultimatum to settle their arrears or have their flats repossessed by Thursday – welcomed the news.

★In high spirits: Chua (back row, centre) posing with some of the families at the Taman Bagan Jaya flats in Butterworth yesterday.

“The residents can now sleep peacefully,” he said.

“The housing department officials should have come down to talk to these people and find ways to solve the problems,” he said when visiting the residents here yesterday.

Also present was Sungai Puyu BN coordinator Sum Yoo Keong.

“I call on the state government to put a stop to such cruel acts and politics of arrogance,” said Chua, who is also the Bagan MCA Youth chief.

Visually-impaired Fadzil Mohd Hassan, 61, who owes RM5,300 in rental, said he was thankful to Allah for not having to leave his home.

“I am so happy. A thousand thanks to the MCA especially David Chua for highlighting my position.

“I am already old and blind and the department wanted me to find the money within a week,” he said.

Single mother Roshimah Ishak, 48, who was asked to settle RM4,500 in arrears, said she was worried the state government might come after her when things cooled down.

Wong said counselling and interview sessions would be held for the affected residents to assess their financial status.

“They will not be evicted. We will also help them with their problems,” he said after launching a health awareness programme at Desa Mawar Community Hall in Jalan Thean Teik, Bandar Baru Air Itam, yesterday.

More poor families in a fix over bills

BUTTERWORTH: Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua had a shock when he learnt that more than 20 poor families were given one week to pay their rental arrears or face repossession of their flats.

“These people have been re-ceiving calls from State Housing Department to settle their rental arrears within a week or have their flats repossessed.

“Please do not be cruel to these poor people. Where will they go? Please show some mercy,” he said.

Chua, who is Bagan MCA Youth chief, again called upon the Pe-nang Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai to act on humanitarian grounds to help the poor.

He also asked about the whereabouts of the elected representatives who had not visited these helpless people.

“Why have they not visited this place even after their plight was highlighted in the media” he asked while visiting the flats at Taman Bagan Jaya here yesterday.

Also present were Sungai Puyu BN coordinator Sum Yoo Keong and Bagan Jermal BN coordinator Maggie Teh.

Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Boon Poh, however, came to the defence of the department, saying that it had the right to go after the tenants to pay up.

“For example, if you rent out a unit to a tenant, you would follow-up and ask for the rental if the tenant does not pay up,” said Phee, who is also a state executive councillor in George Town.

He said the state would come up with a solution on how the residents could pay their rents.

Meanwhile, Chua pledged to settle the outstanding water and electricity bills amounting to RM2,300 of five poor families.

Among them was single mother Sarinah Ariffin who shed tears of joy when she received the good news from Chua.

“I am so happy and thankful to Chua for his kind gesture. We have been using candles at night for nine months.

“My four children will be happy to know that we will get the electricity supply again,” she said.

Chua said he would also settle the outstanding water and electricity bills of the five families on Monday instead of giving them the money to avoid it being misused.

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

Widow and disabled man face eviction by state govt

BUTTERWORTH: Soon to be evicted from a public housing project, widow Rokiah Md Isa cuts a pitiful sight.

The 74-year-old is worried sick about her unit being repossessed by the State Housing Department.

“I have been living here since the Taman Bagan Jaya public housing project was completed five years ago.

“My husband passed away in 2008 and the department sent me a notice in March, telling me that I cannot stay here any more.

“I was shocked. Where will I go if I’m evicted?” she said at her home here yesterday.

Rokiah, who receives RM250 wang zakat monthly, has fallen behind on her rent payments. She owes RM1,188 in arrears.

The state housing authorities issued her a letter dated March 17 to move out within 15 days. They have yet to enforce the notice.

Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua, who was also present, urged the state government to give Rokiah and other tenants like her a chance to pay up before considering repossession of the units.

“It is not that she doesn’t want to pay but she cannot afford to. We cannot just throw her out.

“While we understand that the public housing project is not for single occupancy, Rokiah should be exempted from this rule because she was actually living here with her family before the children moved out and her husband passed away.

“If rental is the issue, give her some time to work it out,” said Chua, who is also the Bagan MCA Youth division chief.

Disabled labourer Mohd Radzi Othman, 39, was told to move out because he was married to a foreigner.

He claimed that he did not owe any rental arrears.

“I rushed to the department after receiving the eviction notice and was told that my unit would be repossessed because my wife is an Indonesian,” said the father of two who lost his arm in an accident.

Chua said Rokiah and Mohd Radzi were just two of some 20 residents who were worried about losing their flats.

On Tuesday, Penang Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the state government had repossessed 154 flat units in eight public housing projects since last year after their tenants breached the tenancy terms and conditions.
from The Star.Metro

1BAGAN Beach carnival fun for 2,000

Click to view album

MORE than 2,000 people thronged Pantai Bersih in Butterworth to join in the 1Bagan Beach carnival, which was organised by the Barisan Nasional’s Bagan division.

The weather was perfect as it was sunny for the various outdoor activities.

The crowd began to gather as early as 7am around the area near the Butterworth Outer Ring Road rest and recreational area in Bagan Ajam. Many took advantage of the weekend and brought along their family members to have fun.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong who kicked off the event, said the carnival was one of a series of programmes organised by the coalition to reach out to various communities.

“This carnival is a platform to build a closer rapport and to promote national unity among the various ethnic groups in light of the 1Malaysia concept envisioned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,” Lee said.

Present were the event organising chairman David Chua who is also the Bagan Barisan coordinator, Sungai Puyu Barisan coordinator Sum Yoo Keong, Bagan Jermal Barisan coordinator Maggie Teh and Penang MIC chief Senator Datuk P.K. Subbaiyah who is also the Bagan Dalam Barisan coordinator.

The activities began with a tai chi morning exercise and line dancing in which more than 500 people took part while about 300 children got themselves busy in a colouring contest.

Among the participants were representatives from Federal Government agencies and about 20 private non-governmental organisations.

Other events included an angling competition, a photography contest and free medical examinations.

There was a host of other exciting activities and among them were two volunteers from the Civil Defence Department who performed stunts in their motorised para-glider.

There were also various traditional dance performances.

Bagan Ajam residents all for 1Malaysia clinic

■Bagan Ajam residents holding placards showing their displeasure at Penang exco member Phee Boon Poh for claiming that 1Malaysia clinics were a waste of resources by the government. — NST picture by Mohamad Danial Mohamad Saad

BUTTERWORTH: Residents of low-cost flats in Bagan Ajam yesterday vented their fury on DAP assemblyman Phee Boon Poh for questioning the existence of 1Malaysia clinics during the recently concluded state assembly.

The residents, who staged a peaceful protest, said the state welfare, health, caring society and environment committee chairman should realise the important role played by the clinic and what it meant for the low-income earners.

They carried placards during the 30-minute protest in front of the Bagan Ajam 1Malaysia Clinic here.

Petty trader Emelia Saidin, 30, said she and her family found it convenient to seek treatment there instead of going far away for treatment.

“We thank the Federal Government for offering such services to the poor,” she said.

Housewife M. Parvathy, 59, who sought treatment for a cut on her left hand, said she paid only RM1 at the clinic.

The residents, Ibrahim Othman, 55, said the clinic was a boon to the poor as they could get outpatient treatment at a nominal RM1 fee.

"The clinic is a blessing for us as we no longer have to seek treatment at private clinics or pharmacies for slight illnesses."

His statement was echoed by resident M. Parvath, 54.

He said he no longer needed to travel for half an hour to the nearest hospital for his basic health check-up as it was available at the clinic.

"It saves us time and travelling cost. Why should someone question its existence?"

It was reported that during his winding-up speech at the state assembly on Monday, Phee had described the 1Malaysia clinics as a waste as there were already health clinics around to provide the people with proper services.

He said the clinic was a mismanagement of resources by the government as they were only manned by hospital assistants and not doctors.

Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua said the Health Ministry had initially refused to open the clinic there.

“But, I appealed to the ministry because there are many poor people living in the Taman Tun Sardon and Taman Pantai Bersih flats and in several nearby villages,” he said.

Chua said Phee had not visited the clinic since its opening about three months ago.

“Phee should apologise for running down the clinic,” he said.New Straits Times. 2011/05/12
The Star.Metro

Land a RM13,000 first prize in fishing competition

MORE than 1,000 people are expected to take part in the Karnival Pantai 1Bagan fishing competition on May 22 offering RM13,000 cash as first prize.

The event is to be held from 7am to 4pm at the Butterworth Outer Ring Road’s rest and recreational area in Bagan Ajam.

The first runner-up will receive RM4,000 cash and the second runner-up RM2,000 while the fourth and fifth placed winners will take home RM400 each.

The sixth to 10th, 11th to 20th and 21st to 30th placings will each receive RM250, RM150 and RM80 respectively, and other gifts.

Organising chairman David Chua, who is also the Prime Minister’s Department Implementation and Coordination Unit officer for Bagan, said various events had been lined-up for the event, which would be officiated by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

“Sports, recreational and heath events such as tai chi, line dancing, colouring, photography and medical examinations have been organised for the day-long event.

“The highlight of the event will be the search and rescue demonstration at sea by the marine police using a helicopter,” he told a press conference.

Chua added that government agencies and about 20 private and non-governmental organisations were involved in organising the event.

For further details on the fishing competition and early registration, call Shaiful Amry (012-4676766). For other details, contact Chua (016-4184898).


The Star | Thursday May 12, 2011