Zero squatter policy in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and other states.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on local governments such as the City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) to move squatters to areas near their homes.

For various reasons, squatters and disaster victims from far away are moved to new houses such as the people's housing scheme in areas like Kepong. On the other hand, squatters from Kepong have to go somewhere else.

Dr Tan spoke at the committe stage on the Ministry of Federal Territory during the debate on the 2007 Supply Bill (Budget) on 27.11.2006.

Because of socio-economic factors, people migrate from rural to urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur and major towns in Selangor and other states. For years, many settle in squatter areas suah as in Jinjang and Kepong. CHKL and Selangor State Government have promulgated zero squatter policy. For example, CHKL has fixed the year 2000, then 2005 and 2007, to remove all squatters in the city.

Efforts to resettle squatters in low-cost housing have produced some results, especially after the building of highrise blocks including people's housing scheme (Projek Perumahan Rakyat, PPR). These are better low-cost units. Many squatters have been rehoused.

Some PPR units in Kepong have been given to people from other areas. As a result, squatters from Jinjang and Kepong cannot remain near their homes. For example, there are over 400 squatter families left in Jinjang South. They are told that they can no longer hope to be rehoused in the Kepong constituency, because most of the PPR units have been allocated. This is bad news for them.

Local governments such as CHKL must reconsider building low-cost units near or at squatter areas, so that they can be resettled near their homes.