Flat PKNS Tapak Maha grounds have become a dump for bulk waste.
The maintenance fee is just RM25 a month at Flat PKNS Tapak Maha in Taman Datuk Harun, Petaling Jaya.
And the joint management body (JMB), which represents flat owners in accordance with the Common Property (Maintenance and Management Act 2013) and the Strata Titles Act 1985, uses this small sum for the upkeep of common property there.
Surprisingly, despite the paltry amount, a significant number of residents have chosen not to pay, leaving the JMB grappling with an outstanding debt running into the hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
Interestingly, one of the defaulters is the Selangor government.
This abandoned unit is one of Selangor government’s staff quarters.
The units in question are used as staff quarters and the state owes the JMB a whopping RM132,841.03 as at June 2022.
This includes parcel rent, fire insurance and maintenance fees.
As a result, the JMB finds it difficult to come up with funds to deal with issues such as blocked drains, deteriorating rubbish collection services and pest infestation.
Besides the state government, other unit owners have also defaulted on payment for over 20 years and owe the JMB thousands of ringgit since 2000.
Rahimah says some bills remain unsettled since 2010.
According to the JMB, among those with outstanding debts were owners who had spent thousands of ringgit on illegal renovations that encroached onto drainage areas and exceeded their strata parcels.
The JMB further noted that two owners who took on such illegal renovations had the highest outstanding balances, with one owing RM5,568 and the other RM6,083.
However, despite their transgressions, the flat’s JMB chairman Anuar Surau could only attribute it to legacy problems that began decades ago.
Anuar inherited legacy problems that began decades ago.“They stopped paying years ago and I only took over management two years ago,” said Anuar, emphasising the desperate need for funds to keep the flats from deteriorating further.
Anuar highlighted one of the more pressing issues – blocked drains that had become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other pests.
“We need to unclog the drains, improve rubbish collection and revitalise the area,” he added.
When asked whether blocked drains could be a result of owners renovating and extending their units over drains, Anuar refrained from speculating, citing that the complexity of legacy problems related to illegal renovations.
“Besides addressing drainage issues, we also need to tackle the problem of bulk waste dumping.
“Unfortunately, we lack the funds to purchase Roll-on Roll-off bins, which can be costly,” Anuar said.
About 50% of unit owners ceased payments long ago, said JMB treasurer Rahimah Basri, adding that some bills remained unsettled since 2010 and were accumulating over the years.
Rahimah revealed that 40 units belonged to the Selangor government, serving as staff quarters for Jabatan Bekalan Air Selangor for many years.
However, none of these unit owners had paid their bills, resulting in an outstanding debt of RM132,000, including insurance money.
According to the JMB, out of the 40 units, 19 were currently occupied by Air Selangor staff, while the rest were in poor condition.
Some of the unoccupied units have deteriorated because of exposure to the elements, with doors and windows removed and the interior left in a filthy state.
Rahimah said the JMB reached out last year to the Selangor government, who promised to settle the outstanding balance by January 2023.
But as of today, it has received none of the money.
The walk-up flats, constructed in 1983, comprise five blocks with a total of 360 units.
PKNS managed the flats until 2009, after which the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) took over in 2010.
It was learnt that during this period, residents started extending their properties without authorisation and because of a lack of action on the part of the council, payment also stopped.
Subsequently, a management firm was appointed to oversee the building’s maintenance until a JMB was established in 2016.
“When we assumed responsibility, the situation was already dire,” Anuar said.
“We attempted to address the issue by threatening to cut off water supply, prompting some residents to make payments for the first two months, but eventually, they started falling behind again.
“Clearly, we need assistance here and may have to engage a legal firm to handle the matter but this, too, requires funding.”
During a recent visit by StarMetro to the area, it was observed that some of the units owned by Selangor government were in a dilapidated state.
The area surrounding these units was filthy, emitting an unbearable stench.
Rotten cat food with maggots was discovered everywhere, attracting rats and roaches.
A nearby resident, who wished to be known only as Kak Som, expressed her frustration on the filthy conditions.
“It’s not fair. I pay the maintenance fee on time but I have to live in such conditions.
“It is equally shocking to hear that the Selangor government owns these empty units.
“They should be setting a good example,” added Kak Som.
Another resident, Johari Jikir, who rents a unit in the area, said he was not surprised that people did not pay their maintenance fees.
“Look around, there is rubbish everywhere and this place does not seem like a flat to me – it is more like a kampung.
“So I am not surprised that people who live here tend to have a kampung mentality,” Johari added.
When contacted, Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin said he was aware of the situation and has highlighted the matter on social media after visiting the area recently.
“This should not have happened. Selangor has a high reserve (funds) and it should have settled its fees a long time ago.
Dr Afif will look into why people are not paying maintenance fees.
“I was informed that the delay was because of a restructuring of Jabatan Bekalan Air Selangor, but still, it’s no excuse as the matter started in 2010.
“Needless to say, I will be looking into this,” Dr Afif said.
StarMetro also reached out to Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) and Selangor government, but at press time, MBPJ and PKNS had not come back with their response.
However, a representative from Selangor state secretariat said it would respond to the matter as soon as possible.
