PAS motion on zero squatter policy rejected
Claudia TheophilusPublished: Oct 4, 2004 7:35 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Parliament today rejected an urgent motion to debate the 'Zero Squatter by 2005' policy spearheaded by the Selangor government to eliminate all squatter colonies by next year.
The Dewan Rakyat Speaker defends the government's policy against squatter colonies, insisting that its international obligations pertaining to housing for the poor have never been compromised.
Parliament today rejected an urgent motion to debate the 'Zero Squatter by 2005' policy spearheaded by the Selangor government to eliminate all squatter colonies by next year.
On Sept 30, Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) sent a letter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail requesting for an urgent motion to be tabled objecting to the policy.
He requested for the urgent motion on behalf of the Marginalised People's Network (Jerit), a grassroots grouping.
Mohamed Zahir, in rejecting the motion in chambers, said in a written reply this morning that he saw no grounds of urgency to allow the motion because the government had already addressed all the issues on low-cost housing raised by the people.
"So, there are no problems to be discussed because the government has acted on all the issues. Therefore, it is no longer an urgent matter," he said in the two-page letter.
Inaccurate claims
Explaining the grounds for rejecting the motion, the Speaker said claims that the government's policy contravened Agenda 21 of the Habitat Declaration Agenda 1992 and the United Nations Resolution on Forced Evictions was inaccurate.
"The government has complied with all the stipulated regulations with the cooperation of the state governments.
"Allegations that public housing projects had not complied with the declaration is untrue because state census (Selangor, 1997) and national census (1999) figures show that only 121,000 family institutions lived in squatters or low-cost flats that are five- or 18-storeys high."
Mohamed Zahir said the government also consistently complied with the national standard for low-cost houses which are "very comfortable with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen.
"(The units) are also equipped with basic facilities such as playground and recreational park. They are also larger compared to the low-cost flats in Singapore and Kong Hong."
He also refuted Jerit's claim that the government had failed to implement the Plantation Workers Housing Scheme 1974 which eventually led to the eviction of 200,000 workers.
"This is not true because the government always protects workers' interests, such as the Plantation Workers' Home Ownership Scheme in 1989 under the purview of the Human Resources Ministry and a committee chaired by the minister himself and state executive counsellors.
"To date, 72 plantations have implemented the scheme by building 6,340 houses that were sold to the workers."
Public importance
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby after this morning's question-and-answer session, Salahuddin said he will pursue the matter because it was of public importance.
"Current and former plantation workers who are from the low-income group are asking for suitable and comfortable homes. I believe this is of great public interest," he said.
"I feel Parliament should listen to their plight and discuss it with a view of reaching a solution so that the families can live in comfort," he added.
Meanwhile, Parliament officials, including the police and security personnel, continued harassing several members of the Jerit delegation by threatening to arrest those who were demonstrating outside the main gates.
Even Salahuddin, who is also PAS Youth chief, was told to limit the press conference to 10 minutes, at which point someone in the crowd remarked whether Parliament officials had the right to do that to an MP.
Outside the main gates, about 500 people had gathered but were barred from entering the compound.
Holding banners, they cheered in a show of solidarity and support for those who have tried to raise their plight in Parliament and in conjunction with World Habitat Day today.
The plantation workers and urban settlers, from Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Johor, had earlier walked from the Lake Gardens about 500 meters away from the Parliament complex.
By 10am, the gate area was swarming with more than 40 uniformed and plainclothes policemen, who were trying to keep the road leading to Parliament clear for incoming vehicles.
At a press conference well outside the gate, Jerit co-ordinator R Mohanarani said they wanted the government to review the housing policies for the poor, including squatters.
"We are objecting to the zero squatter policy. Under this policy, the government claims to clear squatter areas but ends up dumping the people into low-cost flats which are usually inhabitable," she said.
"We've even sent letters to the Barisan Nasional MPs, but they're not bothered about these people's plight and those of about 2.1 million poor families throughout the country."
She said the government was wrong to make policies without consulting the people who are directly affected.
"There is no need for a new policy. And since the poor are being pressured into accepting unsuitable housing, we feel the urgent need to be heard."
Meet PM
If all else failed, said Mohanarani, Jerit would have to meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself.
Jerit secretariat member P Nithiya displayed a press clipping dated Sept 8 quoting Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak telling squatters in the Klang Valley to move by 2005 and stressing that the government will not compromise once alternative housing has been offered to them.
She also showed several newspaper clippings quoting government ministers happily singing praises over the progress of the squatter removal policy despite calls to stop building pigeonholes, the description that has been assigned to low-cost flats.
"Even the local council is not giving people any choice," she said, showing a news clipping quoting the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council asking people to take it (public low-cost housing) or leave it.
On Sept 30, Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) sent a letter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail requesting for an urgent motion to be tabled objecting to the policy. He requested for the urgent motion on behalf of the Marginalised People's Network (Jerit), a grassroots grouping.
Mohamed Zahir, in rejecting the motion in chambers, said in a written reply this morning that he saw no grounds of urgency to allow the motion because the government had already addressed all the issues on low-cost housing raised by the people.
"So, there are no problems to be discussed because the government has acted on all the issues. Therefore, it is no longer an urgent matter," he said in the two-page letter.
Inaccurate claims
Explaining the grounds for rejecting the motion, the Speaker said claims that the government's policy contravened Agenda 21 of the Habitat Declaration Agenda 1992 and the United Nations Resolution on Forced Evictions was inaccurate.
"The government has complied with all the stipulated regulations with the cooperation of the state governments.
"Allegations that public housing projects had not complied with the declaration is untrue because state census (Selangor, 1997) and national census (1999) figures show that only 121,000 family institutions lived in squatters or low-cost flats that are five- or 18-storeys high."
Mohamed Zahir said the government also consistently complied with the national standard for low-cost houses which are "very comfortable with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. "(The units) are also equipped with basic facilities such as playground and recreational park. They are also larger compared to the low-cost flats in Singapore and Kong Hong."
He also refuted Jerit's claim that the government had failed to implement the Plantation Workers Housing Scheme 1974 which eventually led to the eviction of 200,000 workers.
"This is not true because the government always protects workers' interests, such as the Plantation Workers' Home Ownership Scheme in 1989 under the purview of the Human Resources Ministry and a committee chaired by the minister himself and state executive counsellors.
"To date, 72 plantations have implemented the scheme by building 6,340 houses that were sold to the workers."
Public importance
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby after this morning's question-and-answer session, Salahuddin said he will pursue the matter because it was of public importance.
"Current and former plantation workers who are from the low-income group are asking for suitable and comfortable homes. I believe this is of great public interest," he said.
"I feel Parliament should listen to their plight and discuss it with a view of reaching a solution so that the families can live in comfort," he added.
Meanwhile, Parliament officials, including the police and security personnel, continued harassing several members of the Jerit delegation by threatening to arrest those who were demonstrating outside the main gates.
Even Salahuddin, who is also PAS Youth chief, was told to limit the press conference to 10 minutes, at which point someone in the crowd remarked whether Parliament officials had the right to do that to an MP.
Outside the main gates, about 500 people had gathered but were barred from entering the compound. Holding banners, they cheered in a show of solidarity and support for those who have tried to raise their plight in Parliament and in conjunction with World Habitat Day today.
The plantation workers and urban settlers, from Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Johor, had earlier walked from the Lake Gardens about 500 meters away from the Parliament complex.
By 10am, the gate area was swarming with more than 40 uniformed and plainclothes policemen, who were trying to keep the road leading to Parliament clear for incoming vehicles.
At a press conference well outside the gate, Jerit co-ordinator R Mohanarani said they wanted the government to review the housing policies for the poor, including squatters.
"We are objecting to the zero squatter policy. Under this policy, the government claims to clear squatter areas but ends up dumping the people into low-cost flats which are usually inhabitable," she said.
"We've even sent letters to the Barisan Nasional MPs, but they're not bothered about these people's plight and those of about 2.1 million poor families throughout the country."
She said the government was wrong to make policies without consulting the people who are directly affected.
"There is no need for a new policy. And since the poor are being pressured into accepting unsuitable housing, we feel the urgent need to be heard."
Meet PM
If all else failed, said Mohanarani, Jerit would have to meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself.
Jerit secretariat member P Nithiya displayed a press clipping dated Sept 8 quoting Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak telling squatters in the Klang Valley to move by 2005 and stressing that the government will not compromise once alternative housing has been offered to them. She also showed several newspaper clippings quoting government ministers happily singing praises over the progress of the squatter removal policy despite calls to stop building pigeonholes, the description that has been assigned to low-cost flats.
"Even the local council is not giving people any choice," she said, showing a news clipping quoting the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council asking people to take it (public low-cost housing) or leave it.
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