KOTA KINABALU (Jan 26): The Tanjung Aru Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM) has urged the Sabah Housing and Town Development Board (LPPB) to identify a nearby People’s Housing Project (PPR) for the Tanjung Aru Flat residents after the latter had informed them to vacate their homes due to safety reasons, reported by The Borneo Post.

Currently, the plan to move the residents to PPRs is in a distant location. Community Development Leader (PPM) Reduan Aklee disagreed with such a plan. Instead, he suggested LPPB relocate them to nearby PPRs. 

“Do not relocate them to distant PPRs in Sepanggar such as Puri Warisan and Taman Jaya Diri,” he said, quoted by The Borneo Post.

Reduan also stressed that a collaboration between LPPB and the State Ministry of Local Government and Housing (KKTP) together with the Penampang and Putatan District Councils should be done to identify nearby vacant PPRs for the residents. 

According to a report by The Vibes, the reason for the evacuation of the flats were due to safety reasons as LPPB chairman Datuk Masiung Banah said the 50-year old flats are in unsafe conditions.

“The decision to evict residents is not mine alone and it comes after the evaluation and advice of the Public Works Department and LPPB management,” he said, cited by The Vibes.

The eviction process had started since 2021 with the tenant given until the end of 2021 to relocate. However, the residents of the Tanjung Aru flats had objected to such a decision.

In an earlier report by The Vibes, residents had voiced their concerns that LPPB, owner of the building, had not maintained the building for the last 16 years.

Commenting on the unsafe condition of the flats, Reduan urged LPPB to obtain reports from the Public Works Department (JKR) or relevant agencies to inspect the safety condition of the flat. 

If the Tanjung Aru flats' condition can be repaired, he suggested that the government should carry out the repairing works while looking for a new place to relocate the residents.

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