PARTI Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) Petaling Jaya has expressed concern over the poor condition of the Rumah Panjang in PJS 1, where the community have been plagued with flood mitigation issues and dirty living conditions, among others.
In a statement on Monday (April 22), it said the Rumah Panjang community moved from squatter areas to Rumah Panjang in 2000, relocating from Kampung Muniandy, Kampung Pinang and Kampung Petaling Tin.
This was the third Rumah Panjang relocation done by the Selangor state government, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and developers.
“The current community is supposed to move into Block E, PJS 1 but has not yet moved into the block due to the block still being constructed,” said PSM Petaling Jaya coordinator Gandipan Nantha Gopalan.
“In a meeting in 2018, MBPJ informed the community that they could stay in the Rumah Panjang until low-cost housing was completed. MBPJ was to cover all maintenance for the Rumah Panjang area. The community was also told they could stay there for free.”
Gandipan said the Rumah Panjang community has been experiencing flooding issues for years, and each time it rains, pumps that are responsible for diverting water to proper drainage channels to prevent flooding need to be activated by MBPJ.
“However, this process has been ineffective. If there’s a delay or failure in activating the water pumps, residents’ homes flood,” he lamented.
“Rumah Panjang residents must contact the Ahli Majlis Office every time it rains, and the response from Ahli Majlis has become increasingly concerning.
“Water pressure is also very low and inadequate for daily use. Additionally, there are no lights around the Rumah Panjang area, posing serious safety risks.
“The lack of lighting has also turned the area into a dumping ground for garbage. Overall, the Rumah Panjang area is in poor condition and requires immediate attention.”
According to Gandipan, MBPJ has failed to take appropriate action despite this issue being raised by the RKR Block E, PJS 1 Action Committee since 2020.
“This committee has brought the issue to the attention of Ahli Majlis, state assemblyman, and MPs multiple times. The committee was informed that the issue had been brought to the attention of the Mayor and relevant departments, but no follow-up action has been taken,” he remarked.
“After multiple instances of flooding causing damage to residents’ belongings and homes, around the end of 2023, the Rumah Panjang residents were promised disaster relief financial assistance by the Ahli Majlis.
“It’s now almost April 2024, and homes have flooded several times, yet the Rumah Panjang residents have not received this financial assistance to date.” – April 22, 2024
