| Summary: | Squatter settlements have long been negatively stigmatised in Malaysia, where their image is
politically and morally unacceptable against an urban backdrop. In the 1980s, 90s and the early Noughts,
Kuala Lumpur sent through rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, resulting in the extensive demolition
of squatter settlements for new mega-developments. With the launching of the Zero Squatters 2005
program, former squatter dwellers were relocated into low-cost high-rise public housing, with no
concerns about the impacts. This paper will discuss the characteristics of these public housing for former
squatter dwellers. Due to its characteristics as low-cost high-rise residential complexes for relocated
former squatter dwellers, Desa Mentari was selected as a case study. The data was analysed against the
five domains of the Infrastructure of Everyday Life: home and neighbourhood, enjoyment, sources of
support, having a say and making ends meet. It was found that the development of Desa Mentari only
meets the minimum requirements, bad design, a poor physical environment and inadequate facilities and
services, which lead to frustrations and ultimately contribute to other social problems in the
neighbourhood. The work conclusively argues that planning and housing policy should be informed by
the daily life needs and activities of specific groups within society.
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