This was the advice Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi gave to residents of Seri Semarak PPR (People’s Housing Project) in Setapak, reported The Star Online.
Zahid urged them to “migrate from a squatter mindset to a mindset of living in structured communities.”
He said the residents should be grateful for getting public housing, which was not available in neighbouring countries.
“We must be grateful to those who give, especially to the Government and our gratitude must be reflected in our support,” he was quoted saying in a “buka puasa” function there.
Zahid did not mention names, but his “reminder” could very well apply to residents of the Putra Ria flats in Bangsar, who reportedly refused to pay Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), maintenance fees from as little as RM53 per month.
Star Metro reported yesterday that many of the residents, who were former squatters, had outright refused to pay the fees, despite many of them reaping rentals of up to RM1,700 a month by letting the houses out to foreigners.
This has forced DBKL to use taxpayers money to maintain the flats.