By Johor Bahru: Richard Tan, Special Officer ( New Village Dept) to Minister of Housing and Local Government Zuraida Kamaruddin, has visited three underprivileged families from New Villages.
Concerned about their poor living conditions, Tan donated necessities and money, as well as mobilised funds dedicated to the reparation of New Village homes in order to alleviate urgent needs of these families.
He said the fund came from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Every family in need can apply for up to RM10,000 in home reparation funds.
This is mainly to help repair faulty homes for low income residents of New Villages, allowing them to live in a safe and comfortable environment.
Tan visited a New Village in Ulu Tiram on Monday, and met the three families mentioned above. Two of these were low income families who depended on odd jobs for a meagre income.
The pandemic and movement restrictions lately has made things worse. Their homes have been infested by termites, and even when the ceiling has completely given way, they have no money for reparations.
“In another home lives a very sick renter. He is burdened by liver and kidney disease, therefore unable to work, causing a great deal of suffering.”
He said the Ministry of Housing and Local Government has a special fund dedicated to repairing the homes of B40 citizens.
Every year, an amount is set aside for basic reparations across 613 new villages, fishing villages and organised villages across the country.
“New villages are a unique culture in our national history. Every new village has its unique and moving back story; therefore the government will continue to provide aid and development to new villages nationwide, so this culture can continue to thrive.”
He reiterates that poverty affects families of all races. Therefore, it is unacceptable and short-sighted that certain political leaders make statements such as “Chinese people are richer”, making poverty an issue of race to create disharmony. The issue of wealth and poverty should not be segregated along racial lines.
As a government for all people, we need to take care of the poor from all races, and help them overcome the hardships of life.”
