BEAUFORT: A poor senior citizen who was promised a Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT) house by the State Government is disappointed as his plea for a new home has continued to fall on deaf ears.
He had filled out the PPRT application forms in 2019.
It has now been four years since.
Kasmat Billah, 74, lives in poor living conditions at a dilapidated home in Kg Gelila Padas Damit on a meagre income of RM300 a month from rubber-tapping and odd village jobs.
“My house is becoming more dilapidated and at this point I’m just waiting for it to collapse at any time, while the promised PPRT home has not even been built,” he told Daily Express, recently.
A few years ago, he was visited by Lumadan Assemblyman Ruslan Muharam along with the press, where he was promised a new home.
He further questioned why the home has not been built, as the welfare department would contribute raw material and equipment, to which he described the whole ordeal as an “empty promise” and the Assemblyman’s visit as something done “just for publicity”.
“Why is the house not built, when in fact the construction site is ready?” said Kasmat.
Kasmat has six children; two daughters and four sons living in Papar.
He said his children did not neglect him and they had asked him to live with them, however he rejected their offer at his own will as he does not want to burden them.
“They have their own families. How can I disrupt their lives?” he said.
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