JOHOR BARU, Dec 3 — The Ministry of Local Government Development (KPKT) is helping Johor to resolve the relocation issue involving residents living in 10,301 squatter houses in the state.

Its deputy minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said a special committee to discuss the issue was created, which he co-chairs with Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.

He said among the solutions is for the state government to allocate People’s Housing Project (PPR) units to the squatters, especially those living along rivers prone to flash floods.

"There are about 10,301 squatter homes in Johor. The special committee that we co-chair will examine this matter.

"We will look for ways to reduce this squatter issue in Johor,” he said when asked to comment on the issue after the Cahaya Senibong PPR handover ceremony in Permas Jaya, here, today.

Akmal Nasrullah said of the 10,301 squatter homes in the state, 8,793 are found in the district.

He said there are 21 PPR projects in Johor comprising 13 completed projects involving 11,595 units, six ongoing projects with 2,830 units and two projects in the pipeline, which consist of 900 units.

Meanwhile, Mohd Jafni said squatter resident relocation to PPR will undergo a stringent process with preference given to Johoreans on the waiting list, adding that relevant authorities will demolish the squatter homes immediately to prevent them from re-occupying the houses.

The 400-unit Cahaya Senibong PPR was built with a total allocation of RM85.8 million from the federal government on a three-hectare land. — Bernama