Living in a low-cost housing flat may seem manageable to some, but for one Malaysian woman, it became a long-term mental and emotional struggle.
According to a report by mStar, despite earning RM7,000 a month, she chose to reside in a B40 flat community, only to endure over 15 years of noise, tension, and what she described as a toxic environment.
‘Experienced every bit of the B40 mentality’
In a social media post that has since gone viral, the woman shared her frustrations after quietly enduring years of disruptive neighbours.
I earn RM7,000 a month but live in a B40 flat area. I’ve experienced every bit of the B40 mentality,” she wrote. “I stayed patient for years, but eventually, patience gets trampled on.”
She added that living conditions and surrounding behaviour can take a toll on one’s mental health.
Now in her 40s, she said she finally understands what some ministers meant when they said poverty often stems from attitude rather than misfortune.
“Only 0.001% are poor because of illness, accidents, betrayal, or oppression. The rest — they have no money but own iPhones, borrow from loan sharks, and live like laws don’t apply. When things fall apart, they start blaming others for not helping.”
Staying quiet through daily issues
The woman described years of keeping quiet despite daily issues with her neighbours.
Her unit was located at the end of the floor, while the problematic neighbours occupied a middle unit with tables and chairs crowding the corridor.
She listed a long list of grievances, including their children constantly kicking her door, people cooking ketum (a banned herbal drink), lighting fireworks, cluttering common areas with potted plants, and even feeding stray cats right outside her home.
“I turned a blind eye and deaf ear for 15 years,” she said.
Remove some belongings from the corridor
But her breaking point came when she decided to remove some of the neighbours’ belongings from the corridor, hoping to restore order to the shared space.
That decision triggered an aggressive response.
They tried to break my window. They started threatening me — things like ‘I’ll smash your face’, ‘I’ll crack your skull’ — like they were ready to fight,” she wrote. Fearing for her safety, she filed a police report.
She did not say whether she intends to stay or move out of the area, but the incident has clearly taken a toll on her mental health.
