Courting change

Dilapidated: Waller Court flats, which were built some 60 years ago, have fallen into disrepair as authorities wrangle over its future. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star

Talk is rife that Waller Court, the oldest flats in the heart of Ipoh, could finally be seeing a new dawn, after repeated proposals to redevelop it failed to take off.

The latest news comes from Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming, who announced in December last year that the dilapidated flats – once considered the longest in South-East Asia – would be refurbished and the area redeveloped.

Waller Court consists of 19 four-storey blocks with a total of 536 units with either one or two bedrooms.

It was built in 1962 by then Ipoh Municipal Council president SP Seenivasagam and his brother DR Seenivasagam.

The flats were rented out to low-income earners.

However, the 60-year-old blocks have turned into an eyesore over the past decade, with many units sporting broken doors and windows, and some having been ravaged by fire.

The flats have also become a magnet for crime as drug addicts and the homeless seek shelter within its drab and unpainted walls.

Aerial view of Waller Court, which was once considered the longest flats in South-East Asia.– Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star

There used to be businesses operating at the shoplots below the flats, but these were abandoned about 20 years ago.

Kawasan Rukun Tetangga Waller Court chairman Ricky Soong said currently, about 300 occupied units have been registered with the Ipoh City Council.

Some of the other units, he said, were occupied illegally or had been burnt down, while unoccupied ones had become drug haunts or shelter for the homeless.

Soong claimed that the situation was so dire that “legal tenants live in fear all the time as thugs and thieves move freely”.

“The units legally occupied should be refurbished, while the unoccupied ones that are falling apart should be demolished,” he pointed out.

To rid the area of its stigma, Soong suggested that a mixed development project be established there by demolishing some of the more dilapidated blocks.

“He said there had been several previous proposals to redevelop they place but objections from various quarters, including residents not keen to leave the place, meant it got nowhere.

Soong said four Ipoh mayors had talked about redeveloping the place during their tenures, but the proposals did not get very far.

Still, Soong remains optimistic about Waller Court’s potential.

“Since the location is very good, and it’s walking distance to the DR Seenivasagam park, Ipoh’s Old Town and other commercial areas, it would be good to make this place more lively,” he added.

Soong showing how water is siphoned with just a hose from a pipe linked to the water meter.

Waller Court sits on a 2.88ha site along Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar and Jalan Lim Bo Seng.

The rental for a one-bedroom unit is RM102, while for the two-bedroom unit, it is RM125.

Majority of the units are occupied by senior citizens and they are hesitant to move.

Several residents who spoke to StarMetro are keen for the flats to be refurbished though worried about their future.

Yee Tat Ming, 60, is as old as the flats.

“My parents were one of the pioneers who moved here some 60 years ago.

“They passed away a long time ago and now I live here alone.

“I don’t mind the redevelopment, but I hope that the residents will continue to have a place to stay. Otherwise, where am I supposed to go?”

Yee said among the problems residents faced was theft of water and electricity by the illegal tenants.

He said they were also forced to put up with harassment from gangsters.

“We must always make sure our doors are locked, and windows secured, otherwise someone is sure to break in and steal anything they can find,” he added.

Leong Kwai Lin, 70, who has been staying there for more than 20 years with her 50-year-old son, agreed that refurbishing the flats would be a good idea.

“We have been hearing about redevelopment of this place for a very long time now but nothing has been done so far.

“If there are indeed such plans, I hope the welfare of the residents will be looked into.

“I am worried about where am I supposed to go when renovations start,” she added.

Kok Lai Kim, 87, said he has been living on his own since his wife passed away several years ago.

The residents, he said, were plagued by water and electricity thefts by unscrupulous tenants via illegal connections which are also a safety hazard.

“While we pay our bills diligently, they steal water and electricity and do not pay a single sen,” Kok complained.

He is also worried about break-ins and has resorted to putting metal grilles on the windows.

Chan Mee Meng, 72, who sells kuih at a night market, stays with her 70-year-old brother.

The long-time tenant said when there were more residents here, the place was peaceful.

But over the years, many people have either moved out or passed away.

She, too, agrees that Waller Court needs to be refurbished.

“The council stopped renting out the units for many years now, and squatters started to move into unoccupied units.

“There have been many break-ins. Most of us are old and don’t have the energy to fight off the thieves.

“There is nowhere else where the rent is so affordable, and I guess for the senior citizens here, we just wish to breathe our last here,” she added.

Wong Hock Fah, 70, a hawker, thinks it is best if the city council rents out empty units again after they have been repaired and refurbished.

“When there are more people staying here, there will be less criminal activities.

“With more neighbours around, we will be able to look out for one another,” he added.

Ho Chin See, 67, a florist, who has been staying at the flats for over 30 years, said it would be a good idea to have mixed development in the area.

“‘A commercial centre can be established here to ensure the area is more vibrant.

“I am renting a unit at the flat, while my shop is just opposite on a vacant piece of land,” he added.

AJ Kinta Perak Community Welfare Association president Roslan Ali said it was necessary for redevelopment to take place in the area for the good of all.

He, however, suggested that a police beat be set up there to reduce crime incidents, saying the place is known to be a “black area”.

He said there have been a lot of break-ins, in addition to cable theft and destruction of government property.

Roslan said the area needed to be fenced up and guarded.

The redevelopment plans, he added, should include the construction of a multi-purpose hall which residents could rent to use for events.

A surau as well as a place where Muslims and non-Muslims could conduct funerary arrangements, were needed, he said.

The poor conditions of Waller Court have made them an eyesore.

Poorly maintained

City councillor Prof Richard Ng said Waller Court was an iconic structure of Ipoh named after E G Waller, who was Ipoh Town Council chairman from 1959 to 1962.

Ng, who is also the Ipoh City Watch president, said because of financial reasons, the apartment was poorly maintained.

He said Waller Court’s issues were mainly clogged drains, poor lighting, illegal dumpsites and thefts.

Since 2012, the state government had come up with various proposals to redevelop the flats, and since then the Ipoh City Council had stopped taking in new tenants, and slowed down on maintenance work.

“The city council has received many proposals to redevelop the place, which included demolishing the whole structure to build a modern multi-storey building.

“At the same time, the council had also received many objections from the people who wanted the place to be preserved,” he added.

Ng: Ipoh City Council is seeking private sector proposals.

In 2021, a survey was conducted to seek residents’ opinion to determine if they agreed to the new plan with modern infrastructure, and if they would be willing to move out temporarily when construction began.

He said in general many of the residents were happy with the new plans to develop the place, but wanted proposals to take into consideration the possibility of allowing current tenants to continue to stay there.

Ng said the city council is now seeking proposals from the private sector. This has been echoed by the Perak state executive council member Sandrea Ng recently.

“I welcome any suggestions to develop the place, as it is now seen as an eyesore due to the poor maintenance.

“Any development by the private sector must ensure that these tenants, especially those who have rented the place some 60 years ago, must be given priority to continue staying there with affordable rent.

“Both the council enforcement team, as well as the police must carry out frequent inspections for intruders, drug addicts, as well as those occupying the units illegally,” he said.

Ng said many of these illegal tenants get their supply of water and electricity unlawfully.

“While waiting for new development to take place, the tenants should not be deprived of proper maintenance – this had stopped in 2012,” he added.

Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin when contacted confirmed that there are plans to redevelop the Waller Court area.

“We are now collecting a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the interested parties.

“Details and plans would be announced accordingly,” he said.