Residents
losing faith in authorities
07/05/2009 The
Star By STUART MICHAEL
EVER since former squatters moved into the Putri Laksamana apartments in
Batu Caves four years ago, they have had to deal with poor maintenance,
cracking tiles, water leakages, sewage problems and even snakes entering
their houses. Till today, little has been done to solve the residents’
woes.
According to resident Sundramoorthy Veerasamy, when they moved into the
five-storey apartments, which comprise 400 units, many of the units had
cracked floor tiles and water was leaking from the roof and pipes.
Sundramoorthy said a meeting was held in September last year that was
attended by representatives of the developer, Pembangunan Hasil Makmur Sdn
Bhd, Selangor housing, building management, squatters committee chairman
Iskandar Abdul Samad, representatives of the Selayang Municipal Council
(MPS), Comisssioner of Building (COB) and residents.
Damp wall: Residents looking at the moss growing on the wall of the
apartment where water seeps through the wall.
“At the meeting, Iskandar gave the developer a month to solve the
residents’ problems while MPS promised to solve the garbage and drainage
problem.
“It has been eight months since but the problems have not been solved. In
the light of this situation, we are losing faith in the councillors and
state government finding a solution,” said Sundramoorthy, who urged
residents not to pay the RM30 monthly maintenance fees as the apartments
were poorly maintained.
Jalan Kennisan Brothers, the main road leading to the apartments, has huge
potholes and is in bad shape, resulting in dust pollution.
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had cut the electricty supply to the
apartments, and common areas like staircases, the hall and car park are
dark at night. There are also no streetlights.
Perpetual stench: The residents holding their household garbage, which
they throw into the skip just in front of their apartments. The residents
have to bear with the resulting stench.
With the public areas not lit, criminal activities like snatch thefts,
break-ins, and motorcycle and car thefts are rampant there. Drug addicts
and pushers also haunt the area.
Another resident, John Soomu, 32, said they were suffering and wanted
common issues like streetlights and road to be taken care of, and the
police to keep tabs on crime there.
“When there is heavy rain, sewage water seeps into the common area on the
ground floor of the apartments and rain water seeps into the apartment
units from the cracks in the wall,” he said.
MPS councillor Gopalan Krishnan Rajoo said the issue had been brought up
during the exco meeting and Iskandar was looking into the matter.
“Because there is no Joint Management Body here, it is difficult to solve
the problems. I have urged residents to form the JMB to bring up the
residents’ problems so that they can be solved easily,” he said.
