KUALA LUMPUR: University students staying in rented properties are in danger of being exposed to fire hazards.
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) student leader Mohd Rizal Abdul Fatah said this is because the electrical installation in rented properties is at risk of overloading due to overpopulation.
He said as many as 15 students live under one roof due in rented properties due to high rent.
“While rent averages between RM1,000 to RM2,000, it is not uncommon to see it reach the RM3,000 mark these days.
“This is a real burden for many students, especially those from private universities which tend to lack dormitories, unlike public universities,” he said.
Mohd Rizal said the students have no problems in coping with tight living spaces in order to survive.
Those at the bottom of the scale cram into properties that are heavily partitioned, housing many more people than they were designed to.
These smaller units rarely adhere to proper standards, meaning they are often fire traps that put people at risk if a fire breaks out.
No matter how small the space, he said, the students can still bear with it.
But they are worried about electrical safety in the homes as there would be too many things that need to be plugged into the circuit.
“Each student would have at least one smart phone and one laptop, not to mention general home appliances such as fridge and iron.
“It can result in having too many extension cords and that's a potential for trouble,” he said when debating the motion on education at the 71st Umno General Assembly today.
He urged the government to provide tax incentive to landlords so that rent can be kept at a reasonable rate.
The government, he suggested, should also set up a lodging assistance scheme for undergraduates.
He even proposed a name for it, calling it the ‘Skim Bantuan Rumah Siswa 1Malaysia’ (1Malaysia Students' Housing Programme).