Kho Teck Wan on endless effort put in to resettle illegal squatters

suppadmin | March 11, 2021

SUPP Central Woman chief, Kho Teck Wan hit out at DAP Kuching’s Youth, Anthony Chin’s press statement claiming that SUPP Youth Secretary should direct the poor road condition at Jalan Selangan Batu in Pending constituency to the State Minister instead of the Pending’s elected state assembly person as it is not wrong to raise the local issue to the local elected representative.

Kho pointed out that the illegal squatters in Pending areas are either located on state land, private land or the marine reserve near the river. Thus, when the house is built on marine reserve, flood is unavoidable during heavy rain and high tide.

“When the road is constructed privately in an undeveloped private or state land, its repair and maintenance does not fall under local council’s jurisdiction. Therefore, SUPP Youth Secretary directed the issue to the attention of the local state assembly person. Isn’t it the job of the people’s representative elected to pay attention and help solve the issue facing the people?” If every local issue raised by the grassroots need to be referred to the Sarawak Minister, then what is the point of electing a people’s representative?she asked.

Kho added that while the Housing Minister is working on making more affordable houses available to the people in urban area, due to social economy and urban migration, illegal squatters in urban areas will always be around even in the most developed nation.

As I had mentioned previously in my press statements and social media postings, she said, the solution to resolve poor living condition in illegal squatters is to move them away and help them find a permanent home. The process involved understanding the residents’ family needs, daily mode of commute and income condition. The next step is to match the family with affordable housing or rental home that meet their mode of commute and income level. Unfortunately, she explained, the process takes time and some are not willing to move even when they can afford the house.

She said the vicious circle is always there as those who can afford to get out will be replace by some other moving into the illegal vacant house. Kho said it is difficult as when an empty squatter is dismantled, another will sprout near it. And thus, begins the endless effort of getting the new settlers to move out.

“While we cannot improve the living condition of the squatters in short term, we can still provide assistant by doing community engagement project such as organising gotong-royong, applying for welfare assistant and giving food aids.

I therefore urge the local YB to stop the blame games and face the real issues facing Pending illegal squatters, ” she stated.