[unclear: uty] Housing and Local Government [unclear: ter], Datuk Samy Vellu, recently stated that [unclear: ird] of Kuala Lumpur's population are [unclear: ers], and that squatters are mushrooming in other new areas like Perak. "Overnight will be squatter houses there.....not just [unclear: at] several."

[unclear: he] same press release he described the steps [unclear: vernment] intends taking to overcome the [unclear: ter] problem:— the decentralisation of [unclear: tries] and more low cost housing schemes [unclear: nits] costing less than M$20,000.

[unclear: how] true and sincere is the Malaysian [unclear: nment] towards solving all these squatters [unclear: ems]? Let us examine a bit in detail.

[unclear: e] housing problems in Malaysia are not They have been in existence for the past ten at least. According to the 1970 Population Housing Census in Malaysia, the population [unclear: e] country was 10,420,915. With an average [unclear: y] size of 5.5 persons, the estimated number [unclear: milies] 1,894,712. Hence Malaysia needs [unclear: 712] dwelling units but there were only [unclear: 351] living quarters in 1970, a shortage of [unclear: 61] dwelling units.

[unclear: en] the figure was updated to mid-1974, the [unclear: age] had increased to 618,961 dwelling units. [unclear: s] consider the situation in Johore Bahru [unclear: e] the squatter problem, the Tasek Utara [unclear: in]1974-75, has aroused much concern [unclear: g] the public and students at home and [unclear: eas].

1970, Johore Bahru's population was [unclear: 03] and this required 24,730 housing units [unclear: he] number of living quarters was only [unclear: 0], a shortage of 3,830. The squatters' [unclear: em] had been accelerated by the continuous [unclear: se] in population and the migration of [unclear: le] from the countryside to the town to work. [unclear: 74]-75 the Tasek Utara issue arose because [unclear: e] demolition of houses in spite of peoples' [unclear: g] protest, and the inhumane arrest and [unclear: ment] of squatters when they staged a [unclear: ful] demonstration asking for a decent piece [unclear: nd] from their stale government which had [unclear: i] to keep their pre-election promises.

1970, the population of Georgetown was [unclear: 19] which required at least 49,094 housing There were only 30,855 housing units, a age of 18,345. With the increase of [unclear: lation] and the migration of rural folks to [unclear: n], the squatter problem was further [unclear: gerated]. The government of Penang has shown that it prefers to cater for foreign interests rather than solve the housing problem of the poor, landless and the squatters of the state. After the 1978 election came the demolition of squatters home in Jelutong.

Why so many Squatters in Malaysia?

Then why is this problem so accute in Malaysia. Is it because of the shortage of land, of funds and other resources in Malaysia? A wee look at the income distribution of her people and Malaysia's economy would reveal some of the causes of the squatters problems in Malaysia.

Income Distribution in Malaysia

Percentage Distribution of Households by income in Peninsular Malaysia 1970.

Income Range (per month)	household
Under M$100	27.1%
M$100-$199	31.4%
M$200-$399	25.9%
M$400-$1499	14.3%
M$ 1500 and above	1.4%

The table above shows 1.4% of the households earn more than M$1500 per month while 84.4% of households earn less than M$400 per month. The treasury report also stated that 40% of the population live on less than M$25 (roughly NZ$10) per month in 1970. From this it is clear that even the price of a decent low cost house (M$10,000 to M$20,000) would be beyond the reach of the majority of the people. For example it took one of the residents of Tasek Utara 30 years to save M$10,000. With inflation rocketing up and the increase in demand for housing units, it is not surprising that many save the sum only to find the price of the house is many times higher than before. On the other hand we have people owning 2 or more unoccupied houses resulting in the wastage of a valuable resource.

The Economy of Malaysia

As many will be aware about 60% of Malaysia's economy is owned and controlled by foreigners. The foreign exploitation by multinational companies from United Kingdom, United States and Japan is one of the root causes of the squatters. The foreign corporate owners possesses 1,262,8 million acres, or 73.5%, of the total agricultural land and about 87% of the industrial land. This leads to a migration of rural folk to the urban areas in search of jobs. With low wages and high rents, these people have to resort to cheap shelter, living as squatters on government land.

The foreign domination of Malaysia's economy and the unequal distribution of wealth in Malaysia are the main factors relating to the squatters problems in Malaysia. Unless these two defects are corrected in Malaysia, there are bound to be housing problems in Malaysia. But we are yet to know the next person to be blamed in the squatters issue...

We conclude this article with an article reprinted from Utusan Consumer June 1976. Official Publication of the Consumer Association of Penang.