Police forced to evict cop's widow, children from quarters

The police were forced to evict a police sergeant's widow and the couple's three children from a unit of staff quarters at the Sea Park police station in Petaling Jaya when she twice ignored notices to vacate the premises.

Selangor police chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat said since the policeman died in a road accident on Dec 24, 2013, the woman and her three children continued staying at the quarters they had been residing in, over the past decade.

He said according to regulations, if a police officer or personnel passed away, the widow or family staying at police housing needed to vacate the quarters within a month.

"On humanitarian grounds, the administration officer could use his discretion to allow the widow to continue living in the government house for up to three months, from the date of the husband's death.

"In this case, the late sergeant who was last posted to the special branch unit of the Petaling Jaya police headquarters died on Dec 24, 2013, and since that date, the widow and her three children continued to live in the house until last Tuesday, which was more than one year and three months.

"On Tuesday, we took action to evict the family from the unit after the widow ignored our notices issued on June 23, 2014 and Feb 23, 2015," he said in a statement Saturday.

Abdul Samah was clarifying the dissemination of pictures and misleading information on Facebook that the police were purportedly heartless when they broke into the house and removed all belongings of the widow who was in Ipoh at that time.

"All items and appliances are still in good condition, such as furniture, sofa set, air-conditioning unit, kitchen utensils and electrical appliances and the clothes packed separatedly.

"The police also provided a lorry to help her relocate to any location (of her choice)," he said.

He said following the death of the police sergeant, the welfare of the widow and her children were given due attention by the force with various assistance and suppport, including compensation provided to a police personnel.

Among the assistance and compensation given were payment of gratuity; police cooperative insurance; government insurance amounting to RM18,000 and Selangor Contingent funeral fund aid of RM12,000.

"In all, total assistance and aid received by the widow amounted to RM147,000, not including personal donations and contributions from officers and staff.

"At the same time, she also enjoys her husband's monthly pension of RM2,333. The late sergeant also left behind (for the widow) several jointly-owned assets, including a house in Ipoh and car.

"With the total assistance, compensation and monthly pension, the widow should be able to sustain her family," noted Abdul Samah.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar yesterday said the police had tried to assist the widow find a new house by proposing she live in a flat at Kayu Ara in Damansara, but she had declined to move out.

"Even though we sympathise with the fate of the widow and her family, we need to assist our personnel who are renting squatter houses or rooms outside.

"We have given her many exceptions in efforts to get her to shift," he said.