Sri Gotong folks upset by poor maintenance of facilities

17/10/2008 The Star Story and photos by STUART MICHAEL

HAIRLINE cracks have appeared on pillars and car park areas of the Sri Gotong apartment block in Batu Caves for the past year.

Abd Rahman Suraiman, 45, who received the keys to his apartment in 2004, said the management company Benih Kencana Sdn Bhd should act fast to prevent the situation from getting worse.

“The company should repair the cracks or it could become worse. We fear the vibration from a nearby construction project will make the cracks bigger and the apartment may collapse,” Rahman said.

According to Rahman, who is secretary of the Sri Gotong Apartment Batu Caves Pro-tem Committee, the apartment was supposed to have condo facilities like swimming pool, recreation area and sauna, but such facilities were lacking and the place was not properly maintained.

“The sauna room is locked and the gym equipment is damaged. Since I started staying here, one elevator stopped working is yet to be not repaired,’’ he said.

Need to act: Abd Rahman (left) and Rajandran looking at cracks on the apartment car park walls in Batu Caves recently.

The committee’s chairman Rajandran Batumalai said an annoying problem was water dripping from drainage pipes at balconies.

“The management has cut water supply to my apartment for the past nine months because I didn’t pay the maintenance fee. Why should I pay when the apartments are poorly maintained?” Rajandran said.

“We sent a letter from the Selangor Housing and Real Property Board to Selayang Municipal Council last year stating that the management should meet the residents and form a joint management body to settle the issues. Until today, there has been no meeting or an answer from the management,” he said.

“The management wants us to pay parking charges of RM40 a month for a second vehicle and a RM90 monthly maintenance fee,” Rajandran said.

At the management’s office on the fifth floor, collection department manager Ravindran Ramaru said he was aware of the problem and had given the collection to the management.

“We collect about 70% of the maintenance fees. The gym equipment and sauna facilities were damaged by the residents. As for the cracks, the management will look into the matter,’’ he said.