Poor planning of public housing projects resulting in substandard infrastructure is endangering the lives of residents, Amanah said yesterday.

PPR, an abbreviation for Program Perumahan Rakyat, is a government project to build flats which meet the housing needs of low-income citizens, and to resettle squatters.

An example of substandard infrastructure was the lack of adequate car parking spaces at PPR Titiwangsa.

“The problem of parking space shortages for cars has caused double-parking and triple-parking (to happen).

“If emergencies happen, the fire engine and ambulance will have problems (accessing the PPR and helping residents) there,” Federal Territories Amanah chairperson Mohd Hatta Mohd Ramli said in a statement yesterday.

Meanwhile, at PPR Pantai Permai, faulty fire hydrants and fire extinguishers posed a threat to residents, he said.

“If a fire happens and the roads are narrow while the emergency equipment (fire hydrants and extinguishers) doesn’t work, I can’t imagine what will happen,” he said.

These problems were a result of poor planning and showed that PPR flats were built “for the sake of doing it”, added Mohd Hatta, who is also the MP for Kuala Krai in Kelantan.

“Just because these projects are for the low-income rakyat, it does not mean they can plan them badly.

“Projects for rakyat of all economic classes should be developed with regards to their safety, comfort and conservation,” he said in the statement.

Residents can choose to rent PPR units for RM124 a month or buy them for up to RM40,500 per unit, according to the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government website.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said last month that the government subsidises up to RM158,000 for every PPR unit built.

Najib also criticised the opposition for “only knowing how to attack the government” when revenue from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a common point of contention by the opposition, was returned to the rakyat through PPR projects.