Raindrops falling on their heads

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Exposed to the elements: A view of the village in Datuk Keramat, Penang.

KAMPUNG Minyak in Datuk Keramat, Penang, may not ring a bell for many. No, it’s not a place where someone struck oil decades ago and hence the name.

Estimated to be more than a century old, the village is believed to have gotten its name from a gingelly oil (or sesame oil) factory which has since closed down.

The dilapidated village is sandwiched between a row of colonial houses along Jalan Datuk Keramat and a residential area behind.

With only 15 families still living there, the village is inconspicuously tucked away from public view. Rental here is cheap.

The villagers pay between RM150 and RM200 monthly, but they are having sleepless nights over leaking roofs and uncleared undergrowth especially during the rainy season.

Veerkumari holding an umbrella while cooking under the leaky roof that is covered with plastic.

Cleaner L. Veerkumari, 35, a mother of three, said whenever it rained, white ants would fall from the broken roof into their one-bedroom unit, living room and kitchen.

“The leak is bad but the white ant problem is even worse.

“My husband works as an office boy and our total income is RM1,600. We have no choice but to continue living here.

“Recently, a steel beam fell off one of the abandoned structures. Fortunately no one was hurt,” she said, when met at the village on Monday.

Veerkumari is hoping the state government would allocate a low-cost flat nearby for her family.

Like Veerkumari, mover T. Kalaithevan, 33, has no choice but to stay put in the village despite having to sleep in the living room instead of the bedroom upstairs.

“I’m the sole breadwinner of the family and have a three-year-old son so this is the only place I can afford.

“The roof has been leaking badly for the last three-and-a-half years and I had no choice but to move my bed into the living room,” he said.

P.G. Vetha Perinbam, 53, is the third generation of his family still living there.

“During my grandfather’s time, the rental was only RM7, I remember running around playing with the neighbours.

“We even had a makeshift football pitch and badminton courts.

“There were some 45 families living here then and it was wonderful.

“Now there is undergrowth and although the Penang Municipal Council workers come and trim the grass once every two months, they don’t really do a good job.

“We are worried that the village will turn into a breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.

He said a tree fell in September and it took about a month before the local authority cleared up the mess.

During StarMetro’s visit, two men believed to be drug addicts were spotted nearby.

Shaking his head, Vetha said he was worried for the safety of the womenfolk.

“When we go out to work, it’s the women and children who are at home. I hope the police can increase patrols in the area,” he said.

“My rent is only RM150 so whatever repairs that need to be done, are at our own expense.

“I hope the state government can assist us by repairing the roofs,” the grandfather said.

When contacted, Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo immediately directed his assistants to visit the site.

He said he would meet with the villagers to discuss their problems.

“The village sits on a private piece of land. I will see how to best address the issues,” he said.

He also urged the police to step up patrols in the area after receiving complaints of drug addicts loitering there.