KOTA KINABALU – Just like the iconic Tg Aru beach park which is now run-down and abandoned, the Tg Aru flats, which is a five-minute walk away, has also earned the same status.
Erected some 50 years ago, Sabah’s Town and Housing Development Board (LPPB) has issued a notice of eviction to its residents to vacate the premises.
Due to its deplorable condition, the authorities said it is no longer economical to maintain the flats.
It has also become a breeding ground for illegal tenants who rent the premises from the original tenants wanting to make a quick profit.
Out of the over one thousand people living at the flats, only senior citizens and the disabled will be provided alternative housing by LPPB while the rest will have to find their own lodging.
Charley – not his real name – who is in his 70s and has been living with his disabled older sister, Rebecca, 84, in a 600 sq ft two-bedroom flat said moving to another location will be troublesome for them because of their age.
It will also take time for them to adjust to a new environment.
“The circular came out about three to four days ago.
“We have been living here all our lives and it will take time for us to adjust to living elsewhere,” he told The Vibes.
Another tenant, Mohd Marzuki said they have news that the land has been sold to a private company to make way for the Tg Aru Eco Development project.
“They have extended the project to include these flats as there might be no reclamation to the beachfront.
“There are also talks that LPPB might demolish the flats and rebuild (them) from four-storey to ten-storey flats to cater to more people,” said Marzuki.
He also said he hoped sufficient time would be given to them to move out since no timeline has been set for the eviction thus far.
A meeting between the residents and their local grassroots leader was held yesterday so that their grievances can be conveyed to LPPB officials. – The Vibes, May 27, 2021
