MB orders massive clean-up of Paya Nahu flats
SUNGAI PETANI: The discovery of a toddler’s decomposed body in a cooler box on Thursday had highlighted the social ills afflicting Paya Nahu flats here.
Residents said they had been living for years in fear of drug addicts who were behind theft and burglary cases in the neighbourhood.
The residents claimed that these junkies would break into vacant units and turned them into their drug haunts, giving a bad influence to children and teenagers.
A mother of three, who declined to be named, said drug addicts had marred the image of the neighbourhood, which was opened in 2004 and inhabited by the hardcore poor and low-income families.
“Every time, outsiders hear about Paya Nahu flats, they associate it with drug junkies and an unsavoury neighbourhood.
“The truth is many of the children who grew up here have been doing well in life,” she said.
Acting on grouses, Menteri Besar
at Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah visited the area yesterday and ordered that the neighbourhood be
visiting the in Sungai Petani yesterday. Picby
cleaned up.
Bashah said the focus was to flush out drug addicts and trespassers living in vacant units.
He added that the police had agreed to set up a beat base in the area, while the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) would curb drug abuse in the area.
“The residents’ association and the People’s Volunteer Corp have agreed to beef up patrols in the neighbourhood.”
He said a special committee, chaired by state executive councillor Datuk Badrol Hisham Hashim, had been formed to carry out the task by next month.
The programme under the National Blue Ocean Strategy, is part of efforts by the state to give the 2,000unit low-cost housing area a makeover.
The committee will include the police, Nada, Welfare Department, Kuala Muda district office and Paya Nahu residents’ association.
Bashah said the committee would identify the residents of each unit before action was taken against trespassers and those who made unauthorised changes in ownership.
“If the need arises, we may rename the flats to give it a more positive image,” he said.
Bashah said the victim’s 4-yearold sister would be placed under the care of her maternal grandmother, who lives in Sungai Lalang here.
He added that the Welfare Department would counsel the girl and her grandmother.
“The girl is in stable condition. Luckily, she did not sustain any serious injury,” he said after visiting the victim at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital yesterday.
State Nada director Muhammad Nazer Mustafa said the agency had been conducting inspections at the flats every month to curb drug abuse.
He said 48 drug addicts had been placed under its supervision.
“The Paya Nahu flats is among the 13 ‘black’ areas notorious for drug activities.”