Sultan Ibrahim said previous governments were aware of the poor condition of the flats but had failed to address the issue.

“It is really unfortunate that the unity government has to sort out this mess now,” he said in a Facebook post.

He said he felt compelled to bring the matter to the attention of local government development minister Nga Kor Ming as local authorities and the state government were being blamed.

“There is nothing political about this. Don’t turn this into a political issue,” he said, adding that he appreciated Nga’s visit to discuss the problem.

On Monday, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his disappointment with the overall condition of many low-cost flats in Johor, saying it was as if the people were living in “chicken coops”.

He was also disappointed with the lack of cleanliness at these flats with rubbish being disposed of indiscriminately. He said this made the whole area a breeding ground for rodents, pests and insects.

He also took waste management concessionaire, SWM Environment Sdn Bhd to task, saying that their service – for which the state government pays RM180 million per year – had been unsatisfactory.

The same day, Sultan Ibrahim granted Nga an audience at Istana Bukit Serene, Johor Bahru.

Also present were Nga’s deputy, Akmal Nasir, and state executive councillor in charge of housing and local government Jafni Shukor.