An offer letter will be handovered to the 5,669 residents in Bandar Tun Razak from today until tomorrow, as the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry (KWPKB) embarks on a redevelopment of the low-cost public housing project in Cheras.

The project will involve the residents of Sri Johor, Sri Pulau Pinang, Sri Melaka and Taman Ikan Emas. Three types of offer letter will be distributed, these include -- offer letter for tenants, offer letter for owner (1 room) and last but not least, offer letter for owner (2 rooms).

As part of the deal, tenants will be given the opportunity to buy a residential unit comprising three rooms with a total floor space of 800 sq ft for RM28,000. Should they reject the deal, the could opt to rent the unit from DBKL once the unit is built.

Owners will also be offered the 800 sq ft residential unit as a replacement of their existing home, should the owners decline the offer, they could sell the units to DBKL for RM140,000 or RM156,000, depending on the units they currently own.

Payments will be made only after completion of the new units.

Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the entire project will take seven years to complete before all residents can move into their new homes.

“These houses will take about seven years for completion, but the first phase or the first block will take just three years," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after the handover of offer letters ceremony earlier today.

The ceremony was officiated by Nong Chik and attended by Mayor of Kuala Lumpur Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib and the ministry's secretary general Datuk Adnan Md Ikhsan, among others.

Owners and tenants must return the consent form attached to the offer letter to ‘Pejabat Kecil Kawasan’ before April 15, 2013.

Results of a survey conducted last year showed that 4,645 residents agreed with the proposed development.

Nong Chik said, "Nearly 80% of the residents agreed with this development and the land is owned by the City Hall, so the project will be continued."

SP Setia Bhd President, Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said the residents involved in the project do not need to move to other places while waiting for the construction to be completed.

"We will build the first phase of which consist of 1,500 units, and 1,500 families will be relocated to the new block. The previously occupied block will be demolished and new blocks will be built. With this resident does not need to be moved, "Liew said.

Resident’s reaction

Hemawathi aged 50 years, a resident that has settled in Sri Johor flat for the past seven years, said she is very happy with this project because she will be able to move into a bigger house.

“I am very glad; we have been staying here for a long time, our houses are getting worse, we are also getting old and it seems difficult to go up the stairs, "said Hemawathi.

Norisnah Bt Ishak aged 61, a resident of Sri Melaka for 30 years, said, "We welcome the project with open hands. We've been staying in the two-bedroom house ever since, now our family can shift to a three-room house. "

“A house of 800 square feet for a cheap price wouldn’t want it," Norisnah added.