Roslan showing the dilapidated state of the Sungai Pari flats in Ipoh. — Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star
NGO, nearby residents urge authorities to turn flats into housing for the homeless or community centre
THE Sungai Pari flats in Ipoh, Perak, have now become an eyesore after being left abandoned for many years.
There have been plans by Ipoh City Council to redevelop the place since 2013.
As such, notices were issued in stages to residents to move out but until now, nothing has materialised.
Built in 1963 for low-income families, the scheme consists of a 15-storey tower and 11 four-storey blocks on approximately 1.6ha of council land.
It was reported in the media that residents started to move out one by one on their own in the 1990s, and in 2017, the last 43 families moved out.
Some say the abandoned Sungai Pari scheme is now a hotspot for drug-related activities.
Both the tower and lower blocks consisting of over 1,000 units are now old and falling apart, surrounded by overgrown grass.
In 2017, it was reported that the area had been categorised as unsafe and a dengue hotspot by the city council.
It is a drug haunt now. A check by StarMetro at the area recently found several people loitering at hidden parts of the flats.
Most of the flats have all their doors and windows missing, believed to have been stolen and sold by drug addicts.
There are also signs that some addicts are probably staying there, as bags and clothes were seen at the site.
All quiet at a corridor of Sungai Pari flats in 2017, the year the last batch of tenants moved out. — Filepic
AJ Kinta Perak Community Welfare Association, a non-governmental organisation that highlights various issues from cleanliness to the community’s hardships, has raised concerns over the dilapidated state of the flats.
Its president Roslan Ali said the buildings were rotting, and the surrounding area turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes and creepy crawlies.
“Not only that, the place has become a drug haunt. We are able to see some form of activities going on daily at the back area of the flats.
“There are motorcycles going in and out, and several people loiter around the area daily,” he said, adding that he had heard of people committing suicide from the tower building as well.
Roslan has suggested to the city council that the low-rise flats be refurbished to house the homeless.
“I suggested that they get help from philanthropists to make the place nicer, and allow the homeless to stay there.
“Right now, there are many homeless people hanging around the city centre.
“The homeless can be taught to grow their own vegetables and fruits, and they can even sell the produce in the area,” he added.
A sundry shop on the ground floor in 2012. – Filepic
Roslan said the state Welfare Department could help pay for the daily necessities.
“Also, when the homeless are housed in one area, it will be easier for the Welfare Department to look after them.
“Maybe a police post can be placed in the area as well to prevent drug activities and discipline the homeless,” he added.
Retired civil servant Prithviraj Singh, 65, who lives nearby, said the housing scheme was the pride of Ipoh in the 1960s.
He recalled that in his younger days, he visited friends who stayed at the flats, and played football at the field below almost every evening.
“I recall that there was a kindergarten, barber and sundry shops at the low-rise blocks and it was a very nice, vibrant place at that time.
“You could get a bird’s-eye view of the city from the 15th floor of the tower.
Prithviraj says the area should be developed into a community or sports centre.
“But for more than a decade now, the building has been an eyesore,” he said.
Prithviraj thinks that all the buildings in the scheme should be demolished and the area redeveloped into a community or sports centre.
“It will be good to have a mini stadium here, complete with well-maintained facilities like a football field, tennis and badminton courts and a swimming pool.
“Adjacent to the building is Sungai Pari, and the area around the river can be turned into a recreational spot with a jogging and walking path,” he added.
Self-employed J. Rajinikanthan, 40, said everyone could see what an eyesore the place had become after being abandoned for years without any development taking place.
“The overgrown grass is probably home to snakes and other creepy crawlies, and an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
“Also, everyone who lives around the area is well aware of the drug activities there, and many of us do not feel safe.
“The whole place is really messy and dirty with the tower sticking out like a sore thumb,” he said.
Rajinikanthan says the overgrown grass is probably home to snakes and other creepy crawlies.
Ipoh city councillor S. Jayagopi often received complaints on the sorry state of the flats.
“I have raised the issue during the council meetings with the mayor many times.
“I was informed by the mayor recently that the council had handed over the land to the Perak Housing and Property Board (LPHP) and that the board will look into the matter now.
“I really hope that the board will plan out the redevelopment properly and start a project soon,” he said, adding that drug addicts had made the place their home.
Another councillor, Tony Khoo, said any proposal for the area should be a viable one.
The former Perak Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (Rehda) chairman, who is now a national council member, said a mixed development project would be ideal.
“There has to be a win-win situation for both the state government and the developer who is appointed to redevelop the area.
“The redevelopment plan should have an affordable housing scheme consisting of low-cost, medium-cost and higher-end flats and maybe these units can be combined with commercial lots.
“This is a prime area in the middle of the city, and it will be a good idea to have something like the HDB concept in Singapore,” he said.
Tenants walking around the unkempt grounds in 2012. Families started moving out in the 1990s. — Filepic
Khoo, who is also a committee member of LPHP, said there was no mention of the redevelopment proposals at its last meeting about five months ago.
“Probably at our next meeting, I will have some idea on what the board plans to do.
“I just hope whatever project planned there will benefit the people, and it will be a good investment,” he added.
When contacted, state housing, local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohamed Radzi said notices were given to residents to move out for redevelopment purposes many years ago.
She said the city council had given back the land to the state government and the state executive council had decided that LPHP should develop the area.
“LPHP has received several proposals but they are in the vetting stage to check if they are viable.”
On the area turning into a drug haunt, Nolee said she would inform the relevant authorities to carry out investigations, and for more patrolling to be done.
