Selangor must review its low-cost housing policy immediately to prevent more low-income earners from being left out of the scheme, representatives of urban settlers and plantation workers said in a memorandum to the Selangor menteri besar.

The memorandum alleged that political party-based quota for allocating low-cost units has severely abused the poor's rights to affordable housing.

"Politicians become brokers who obtain several units and sell them to outsiders. Usually, whoever pays the most 'duit kopi' (bribe) to these brokers is assured of a unit," claimed the Marginalised People's Network (Jerit) in the document.

"Such political practice is known to everyone and still persists till today. Instead of stemming this practice, the state is inadvertently encouraging politicians to become middlemen and rob the poor."

The allegation is part of the seven-page document, submitted by a 30-member delegation led by Jerit, that outlines long-standing problems that has systematically denied the target group of low-cost houses.

The memorandum was signed by representatives from Kampung Sungai Nipah, Ladang Sungai Rinching, Ladang Midlands, Kampung Bukit Dukung and Kampung Rimba Jaya. It was received by the Selangor mentri besar's special officer (communications) Mazri Muhammad.

Besides listing possible solutions for Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's consideration, Jerit also wanted a dialogue with him.

Plan criticised

The menteri besar is currently in Mecca performing his umrah and will only return next week.

Last Sunday, he announced a plan to get the rich to buy and rent out low-cost units to the low-income group, a plan aimed at selling off the 100,000 surplus units in the state.

It was met by a barrage of criticism from social and human rights activists, opposition parties and ministers.

Three days later, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chided the state government for failing to stick to existing federal policy on providing affordable housing for the low-income group.

Met in Shah Alam today, Jerit co-ordinator A Sivarajan, said the existing requirements for loans and low-cost housing applications seem to favour the wealthy since the target group of poor certainly could not afford to pay RM42,000.

At present, only those earning less than RM1,500 are eligible to apply for low-cost housing.

"The MB should look at the root of the problem on why so many low-cost units remain unsold and why hundreds of low-income earners still cannot afford a house.

"We want a dialogue so that the MB can listen to our views. Fact is, we've been asking for a dialogue over the last 10 years, and we are still waiting for one."

One problem is the fact that outsiders were able to obtain low-cost units.

"The offer and subsequent ownership of low-cost units are by individuals instead of being open to residents from the locality of the project. This results in outsiders securing the units," he said.

As example, 22 families formerly from Kampung Kayu Ara in Bukit Lanjan are still waiting for low-cost housing in the newly-completed project within the area. Ex-workers of Ladang Madingley have also been denied housing in Taman Permata in Dengkil.

Besides pricing, said Sivarajan, people are turning down offers for low-cost units due to unsuitable location, poor quality of material used and bad design.

High-rise slums

He said the state's offer is often turned down due to these reasons, thus depriving the target of proper and affordable housing.

"The government is building houses that people don't want. They want low-cost terrace houses, not flats which turn into high-rise slums due to lack of maintenance.

"Ultimately, those who suffer are the aged, disabled, women and children."

He said this was the case in Kampung Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam, Kampung Chubadak in Sentul, Kampung Bumi Hijau, Kampung Pasar Baru and Kampung Pandan in Kuala Lumpur.

The exclusion of ex-plantation workers from the low-cost housing scheme is another major problem in Selangor because these people end up being urban squatters.

"After witnessing the plight of ex-workers from Ladang Prang Besar, Ladang Sedgeley, Ladang Madingley and Ladang Galloway, the four estates that made way for Putrajaya, others are refusing to live in low-cost flats under similar conditions," said Sivarajan.

Those trying to get a better deal are ex-workers of Ladang Bukit Jelutong in Shah Alam, Ladang Brooklands in Banting and Ladang Sungai Rinching in Beranang.

Another unattractive factor for low-income earners, he said, was the remote siting of such projects.

"Just look at the flats in Bukit Subang and Bandar Baru Brooklands. Developers knowingly build low-cost flats in high-density areas without proper access roads and insufficient parking space.

"Space for beautiful landscaping and modern infrastructure is solely reserved for low-density luxury housing and bungalow lots," he added.

Applicants 'dumped' elsewhere

On design and quality, the memorandum prepared by Jerit stated that one of three rooms provided in low-cost units was practically too small to be of any use.

Another problem is the 'dumping' of applicants far away from their original place or their chosen location in the application, as shown by cases where applicants living in Klang were offered units in Bukit Beruntung (about 80 kilometers away) instead.

"People are expected to uproot their entire lifestyle, including their job and children's school, not to mention transportation and additional expenses to be borne by them," read the document.

"That is why they are forced to decline the offer."

Jerit proposed that the state handle all low-cost schemes, prices should be lowered through tax exemptions for land and construction material, offer interest-free loans and alienate land to the poor so that dependency on public housing is reduced.

It proposed that laws be enacted compelling developers to provide housing for plantation workers, to grant land titles for urban settlers - those who do not fall under the category of squatters, and to improve basic infrastructure in poor neighbourhoods.

In Perak, the Urban Settlers and Housing group similarly sent a letter today asking for a dialogue with Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli to discuss housing problems faced by hundreds of settlers and the options available to them.