DENGKIL: The government has fulfilled a long overdue promise to provide safer and more comfortable homes for 400 plantation workers and their families.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ampar Tenang People's Housing Project (PPR) today said the government under former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had, in 1996, promised terrace houses to the families who had to move out of their estate homes to make way for the development of Putrajaya.
"Without Ladang Perang Besar, Madingly, Galloway and Sedgely, there would not be Putrajaya.
"That is why the government, in 1996, had decided to build one-story terrace houses to the 400 estate workers involved.
"Former prime minister Dr Mahathir promised this in 1996. We didn't change his promise, it was he who altered his promise towards us," said Najib.
The estate workers, he added, had not only contributed to the country's economic growth but also sacrificed their homes to make way for the administrative capital.
The 400 families were then moved to five-storey flats in Taman Permata near here. However, last year the flats were confirmed unsafe, forcing residents to look for accommodation elsewhere.
Najib said the project was a manifestation of the government's commitment to help all Malaysians.
He said this proved that the Barisan Nasional government fought for all groups, communities and races.
"Today, with the start of this housing project, it marks the end of your struggle to own a house that should very well be provided by the government to all of you."
The Ampar Tenang PPR is built specifically for former estate workers who now reside at low cost houses in Taman Permata.
It is slated to be completed in July 2019 and would cost a total of RM60 million.
The government would subsidise each unit at RM130,000 and the single-storey house would be priced at RM20,000.
The prime minister said 216 people who had made payments for the five-storey flats would own the new terrace houses for free.
"Hopefully, this project would leave a lasting impression to all 400 families who will move to a new home in 2019.”
Also present were Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar, his deputy Datuk Halimah Sadique and Health Minister and MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.
Meanwhile, families who would be moving to their new homes were overjoyed that their long wait was finally over.
V. Arumugam, 48, heaved a sigh of relief knowing that there would be a safe and comfortable roof over his head for himself, his wife and two children, soon.
"I have waited 18 years for this, and I'm really happy that the project has been finally launched."
Another former estate worker T. Chandran, 51, expressed his gratitude towards the government for fulfilling the long-awaited promise.
"I feel very relieved and I cannot wait to move in to a more comfortable home with my family."