Verify residents truly eligible to buy uints of People's Flats & get rid of red-tape,6.6.2007.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) to verify fairly the residents who are truly eligible to buy a unit each of the People's Flats. We should avoid unequal and unjust allocations, otherwise there will be endless complaints.

Dr Tan made the call on 2 June, 2007, about the sales of People's Flats, costing RM 35,000 per unit.

On 1 June, 2007, the Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the Cabinet decision to sell units of People's Flats to those eligible. At the time, he was visiting the People's Flats at Taman Intan Baiduri, Kepong.

Several days before the visit, CHKL cleared the drains, cleaned the buildings, paved the roads,removed the rubbish, planted more trees and put up big tents. One estimate gave the number of big buses as at least 40; these were used to ferry people from various parts of KL to Intan Baiduri.

Some people surmise that the extravanza is part of the preparation for the General Elections. Others maintain that the PM would like to show the people that he is effective. Nevetheless, the Project for People's Flats began during Tun Mahathir's time as PM. Pak Lah decides to sell them.

If the sales of these flats are managed well with fair distribution, the people will benefit. However, if it is unfair, unjust and chaotic, then a good thing will turn out to be bad.

We believe that the Government must verify those who are eligible to buy these flats. CHKL should set up a special unit to manage the sales, including having non-Malay personnel.

In fact, each unit of the flats has three bedrooms and a sitting room. The monthly rental is RM 124. Each costing RM 35,000 is reasonable. As long as the sales are managed properly with the personnel being friendly and there are no hanky-pankies, the people will not suffer.

The Intan Baiduri People's Flats consist of six blocks with 1834 units, 9170 residents. The project began on 19.9.2000, being completed on 15.4.2004. It cost RM 109,296,348.50. Its facilities include kindergarten, hall, shops, praying room and playing field.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw