Inspection completed: Templer Flats were built to help poor families, so it is crucial that they still serve their purpose today.
SEREMBAN: A large-scale operation will be carried out in Negri Sembilan to ensure those renting state government-owned dwellings are still eligible to continue living there, says an exco member.
State local government development, housing and transport committee chairman J. Arul Kumar said the authorities have received complaints that some of these units, which are rented out by the state government for as low as RM25 per month, were being rented out to third parties.
“We have also received complaints that some units have been rented out to foreigners, converted into stores or left vacant.
“The exercise is to ensure only eligible locals are given the priority to stay there,” he added.
Arul said among the schemes owned by the government are Templer Flats and Sentosa Flats in Kuala Pilah; Taman Jasmin Flats in Nilai; and the Senawang 1 Flats in Senawang, which were built to help poor families.
He said in the impending operation, those living in these units would be asked about their household income, marital status and if they had since bought their own houses.
Arul added that if his officers find that any of these units had been rented out to third parties, then the contract with the original tenant would be revoked.
“If the third party fulfils all criteria, then we will rent the units directly to them,” he said, adding that the condition was that there should be no arrears owed by the original tenant.
Arul said the first such operation was carried out at Templer Flats on Monday night where 238 flats were inspected.
Of these, 48 were occupied by those registered with the state housing unit or were the original tenants, while 55 more were occupied by their families or relatives.“We could not check the status of 108 more as there was no one at home during our visit, while 26 others had been rented out,” he said, adding that one unit was vacant.
Arul said the authorities would also verify with the Land and Mines Department if any of these tenants had actually bought their own houses.
