The association is fighting eviction from the site after being taken to court by STLR Sdn Bhd, the owner of part of the 4.8ha land on which the centre is located.
STLR, a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Bhd, owns 1.45ha while the rest belongs to the Federal Land Commissioner.
The rehab centre’s facilities include a hall, hostel and surau.
Pengasih president Mohd Yunus Pathi said STLR had wanted to take back the land in 2005 but the demand was revoked after the association appealed to the prime minister’s office.
He said the company then offered a new site to build the rehab centre together with the proper facilities and infrastructure.
“They promised to develop 5.85ha in Kampung Cinta Manis in Bentong, Pahang, for our new centre.
“But when we inspected the site, we found it not safe with wild animals such as wild boars and dogs roaming the area. It would not be safe for our inmates,” he told reporters at Rumah Pengasih.
He said that apart from frequent landslides, the site was also not fenced and the ongoing infrastructure works made the place unsafe to live.”
Mohd Yunus said the association had no problem with moving from its present site but the Bentong site must be made ready beforehand.
He estimated Rumah Pengasih would need about RM14 million to build and equip the facilities at the new site.
With the negotiations on the shift deadlocked, STLR decided to sue to evict Rumah Pengasih, which currently has about 100 inmates.