Perak Govt to hold special meeting on low-income families in deplorable homes

IPOH: The Perak Government will have a special meeting to look into cases of underprivileged families living in deplorable homes, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

The Perak Mentri Besar said he has instructed State Secretary Datuk Ahmad Suaidi Abdul Rahim to chair the meeting with other relevant agencies on how to help the affected families.

“It involves humanism and the responsibility of the state government. If some families are getting RM300 welfare aid but paying the same amount for rent, we want to see what we can do,” he said at a press conference on Thursday (Jan 18).

“We may not be able to solve all cases, but we will see how we can handle the matter holistically,” he added.

Saarani had said this after visiting a son and his mother who are staying in a deplorable condition at the Silibin Flats here.

It was reported by several news outlets that Erwan Dahari, 46, and his elderly and senile mother, Miram Kadir, 77, were found living in a unit at the Taman Silibin flats that was filled with rubbish, cats and animal faeces.

The deplorable state of Erwan Dahari’s home at Silibin flats.

Erwan had previously sought treatment for stress and was categorised as a person with mental disability.

Perak social welfare committee chairman Datuk Salbiah Mohamed said on Wednesday (Jan 17) that a monthly sum of RM900 in welfare aid would be given to Erwan and Miram.

Miram also gets RM500 in aid monthly from the Perak Islamic Religious Council & Malay Customs.

Saarani said Erwan and Miram’s home was not suitable to be inhabited.

“It is something that should not happen. The home can attract snakes, rats and other creepy-crawlies, and it can pose a health and safety risk to other residents,” he said.

Perak MB Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

“I believe this is not the only incident in Perak. If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere else, and I believe there are more,” he added.

Saarani said Miram would be sent to a welfare home and be looked after by the state Social Welfare Department.

“We also asked the son to stay at a halfway home, but he wants to stay at the unit to look after some cats.

“We do not want to force him and allow him to continue staying there with a condition that the unit must be cleaned up and sanitised so that it is habitable for him,” he added.