High-rise hit by
ninth power cut
The Star Penang 19/12/2004 BY
ZARINAH DAUD
The monthly maintenance fee is only RM30, but 75% of the Taman Teluk Indah
(2), Butterworth flat owners are habitual defaulters, leaving Tenaga
Nasional Berhad with no choice but to disconnect power supply to their
lifts on Wednesday.
This was also the ninth time since 1999.
The recalcitrant attitude of these flat residents has also left the
building management, Taman Teluk Indah (2) Residents Association,
flabbergasted at their refusal to settle RM201,684 in accumulated arrears
to the TNB.
The RA had conducted door-to-door appeals since Wednesday and all they
managed to collect was RM130 from the residents.
But this money is used as a temporary measure to buy fuel for the
generator to operate the lifts during peak hours from 6.30am to 9am, and
from 4pm until midnight.
Other than that, the 4,000 residents have to scale the stairs up the
21-storey blocks.
TNB disconnected power supply to Block E1 and Block E2 at 3.30pm on
Wednesday after the RA failed to pay the arrears.
Each block has 504 units with three lifts each. Block E1 owes RM120,097
while Block E2 has arrears of RM81,587. The power supply is connected to
the common areas, lifts and pumps that draw up water to the main tank.
TNB Seberang Prai area manager Yusoff Hamzah said the utility company
would not restore power until the RA settle the arrears as it had been
given ample time to do so.
“This is our last resort to recover the arrears. While we sympathise with
the residents, we have to follow the procedures. Under normal
circumstances, power supply will be disconnected after our clients failed
to pay one month's bill.
“Even then, we will send out a seven-day notice prior to the power cut. In
this case, the last payment made by the RA was in June. That is more than
enough grace period given,” he added.
However, Teluk Indah (2) Residents Association chairman Yacop Hashim said
the association was unable to pay the arrears because some residents
refused to pay the monthly maintenance fee, with some of them owing up to
RM1,425 since they moved in in 1999.
He also said that 262 of the 1,008 unit owners were regular with their
payments and the association collected an average of RM5,000 a month
instead of RM30,000.
“With that amount, how are we going to settle the arrears because the
money is also spent on cleaning up the area and salary for the
electrician.
“It is up to the residents to pay up or all of us will end up suffering.
The RA is not going to appeal to TNB for a reprieve,” he added.
RA deputy chairman Subramaniam Raman said the association had pleaded to
some of the more stubborn residents to pay up “but they simply turned
their backs on us.”
He said these residents cited poor services as reason for refusing to pay
their maintenance fees.
Batu Kawan MP Huan Cheng Guan and Prai assemblyman Datuk Dr K. Rajapathy
who were approached for help, urged the TNB to restore power in view of
the festive season. |
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