Lodging assistance scheme for undergrads proposed

KUALA LUMPUR: University students staying in rented properties are in danger of being exposed to fire hazards.

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) student leader Mohd Rizal Abdul Fatah said this was because the electrical installation in rented properties was at risk of overloading due to overpopulation.

He said as many as 15 students lived under one roof due to high rent.

“While the rent averages between RM1,000 and RM2,000, it is not uncommon to see it reaching RM3,000 these days,” he said.

“This is a burden for students, especially those from private universities, which lack dormitories, unlike public universities.”

Rizal said the students had no problems living in tight spaces to cut costs.

He added that those less fortunate lived in premises that were heavily partitioned, housing many more people than they were designed to.

These smaller units, he said, rarely adhered to safety standards, meaning that they were often fire traps that put people at risk if a fire were to break out.

He said no matter how small the space was, the students could bear with it, but they were worried about safety in the houses, as there were too many electrical appliances plugged into the circuit.

“Each student would have at least a smartphone and a laptop, not to mention general home appliances, such as the refridgerator and clothes iron.

“It can result in having too many extension cords and that’s dangerous,” Rizal said when debating the motion on education at the 71st Umno General Assembly yesterday.

He urged the government to provide tax incentives to landlords so that rent could be kept at reasonable rates.

He suggested the government introduce a lodging assistance scheme for undergraduates.

He even proposed a name for it — Skim Bantuan Rumah Siswa 1Malaysia (1Malaysia Students’ Housing Programme).