“SQUATTER” means a person who’s occupying space that he or she does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use. In some jurisdictions this is illegal. But Malaysia seems to be rewarding squatters. Squatters are being offered from RM124 monthly rental, to options to buy low-cost houses at a fraction of the cost price and compensation for relocation.

Newspapers report of squatters being handsomely “rewarded” when they agree to relocate. It is hard to comprehend. You have a group of people living on another person’s land illegally, yet they are being paid to move out. All this when some of them are better off than many of us who struggle to pay mortgages, rent and such like.

Squatters today don’t invoke the same emotions in the public as they did years ago. Back then, the word squatter brought to mind images of poor people who could not afford to live anywhere else. Today, some squatters own cars, subscribe to satellite

television and sleep in air-conditioned rooms. If they can afford these luxury items, surely they can afford to rent a place to live.

Why is it that landowners seem to be at the mercy of these squatters? Why are squatters being compensated for relocating from a plot that belongs to someone else? It can be argued that these cases of compensation and other rewards seem to be encouraging the squatter culture.

Granted, there may be cases where they are destitute and can’t afford to live anywhere else. But surely, our social welfare authorities and system provide adequate recourse for deserving cases. Taxpayers, corporations and even the authorities should not bear the burden of compensating those who are out to make a quick buck but rather reward deserving cases.

SA
Subang Jaya

Source: The Sun – March 17, 2010