Dream of owning homes nearer for 638 former squatters

The brand new PPR Sri Aman in Kepong.

SIX-hundred-and-thirty-eight longhouse residents from Jinjang Utara, Kuala Lumpur, are a step closer to owning their dream homes today after participating in a balloting session this morning at the PPR Seri Aman in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.

The session was for them to pick their apartment units in the Sri Aman People’s Housing Project (PPR).

Kepong Community Service Centre head Yee Poh Ping said the remaining 177 residents who were also entitled to units, had yet to sort out their paperwork. 
“Balloting today was carried out for residents living in Block B and Block C,” he said. 

“And it is only for units from second floor and above,” he added.

Jinjang Utara residents queuing up to register their names before participating in a balloting session.

Yee elaborated that the first and ground floor units were reserved for those who were disabled, the infirm and the elderly.

“These groups need to submit the relevant documents to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) when they appeal for units on the lower levels,” he said. 

He also informed those who got their units today that they needed to come back on May 22 and May 23 to collect their offer letters. 

“They have the option to buy their units with cash or withdraw from Account Two of the Employees Provident Fund, or take loans under the rent-to-own scheme by Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP).

He added that residents had the option of applying for a bank loan. 

Long-time resident, Arumugam Marimuthu was overjoyed when he received a unit on the third floor.

“It was a sweet moment for me and my family today, after 26 years of living in transit, to finally take ownership of my own home,” he said.

Arumugam, who is also Selangor and Federal Territories Community Association president, an urban poor movement that helps poverty-stricken residents in the Klang Valley, said he would be applying for a loan from the YWP to pay for his unit under the foundation’s rent-to-own scheme.

The families were given offer letters to purchase the PPR units at a cost of RM35,000 per unit.

The longhouse tenants were relocated about 25 years ago from various squatter areas in the city. More than 6,000 residents were brought here by DBKL to live in 400sq ft units made from asbestos and zinc sheets.