Confusion reigns over housing in Siliau estate

LUKUT: Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamand Hassan's silence over the housing controversy in Siliau estate may prove to be costly to Barisan Nasional. Confused and angry estate workers are demanding that he resolve the issue once and for all and that BN keep its word on selling the low-cost housing units to the workers.During the Bagan Pinang by-election campaign last year, BN had had promised to build 150 low-cost houses under its Programme for Hardcore Poor (PPRT).The coalition had promised to sell the houses to the Siliau estate workers.

But less than a year later, BN went back on its word saying that it had never promised to sell.To make matters worse, rumour is rife that the BN government now wants to only rent the units to the estate workers and would only offer them an opportunity to buy them after five years of rental payment.Talking on condition of anonymity, a former worker said a source at the National Union of Plantation Worker (NUPW) had told them that the houses were not to be sold directly to estate workers. The NUPW source had also informed them that they (workers) had to pay the rent up to five years.

"This is the not the promise made by them during the by-election. It is my understanding that they may convert the rent into a deposit for the house after five years.“But what is the guarantee that the state government will sell the house to us after five years and use the rental paid as deposit?“Also, I am now 45 years old. In five years, I will be 50; which bank will give me a loan to buy a house?” asked the worker. Another disgruntled Siliau estate resident demanded to know why he had to wait to own the PPRT housing unit.“Why must Iwait for another five years to own a house? This is something truly stupid,” he said, adding that they (workers) still believed in the menteri besar and were hopeful that he would step in to clear up the confusion.

Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan state executive councillor V S Mohan, when contacted, strongly denied that the houses were for rent only.He said the secretary to the Negri Sembilan government had received a letter from the National Housing Department director who had reiterated an early confirmation that the PPRT project in Siliau estate was for sale to current and former estate residents.Mohan said confusion need not arise because the PPRT project was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Muhiddin Yassin during Bagan Pinang by-election.

Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/barisan-nasional/10008-confusion-reigns-over-housing-in-siliau-estate