Martin (above) demonstrating how he shuffles down stairs pushing his wheelchair, due to lift breakdowns at Apartment Permata Fadason (below). — Photos: CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
FREQUENT lift breakdowns at Apartment Permata Fadason has caused a lot of inconvenience for its residents, especially the disabled and elderly.
The problem is compounded by the fact that some lifts are designed to only access alternate floors.
There are two lifts at each of the three blocks in the apartment located in Taman Fadason, Kepong in Kuala Lumpur.
One lift stops at odd-numbered floors while the other stops at even-numbered floors.
The lifts have been intermittently out of order for the past two years.
Apartment Permata Fadason has a total of 720 units over the 15-storey blocks.
Wheelchair-user Chow Mei Hsia said the latest lift breakdown on Jan 8 forced her to cancel two hospital appointments due to lack of accessibility.
Chow, who has a spinal injury, lives on the ninth floor of Block D with her husband, Anthony Martin, who has polio and also uses a wheelchair.
Because the lift servicing their floor is faulty, residents have to take the other lift to the 10th or eighth floor, then use the stairs to get to the ninth floor.
“Anthony has some upper body mobility so he will move down or up the stairs by shuffling his body and pushing his wheelchair at the same time,” said Chow.
“I can’t do that because my movements are more limited.”
Because she is unable to get out of her apartment, Chow said she was limited to eating instant noodles and eggs most of the time.
“I have had food delivery riders reject my order when I tell them I am unable to collect it in person,” said Chow, who has lodged complaints about the faulty lifts with Permata Fadason Block D, E, F Joint Management Body (JMB).
She was told that the problem was due to poor maintenance fee collection. Residents pay RM65 a month in maintenance fees.
Elderly resident Gan Se observed that the lifts would break down every other month, with such incidents happening more frequently in the past two years.
“I am lucky I live on the second floor, so it is easier for me to walk up and down the stairs if I have to. But I can’t walk if I am too ill,” said Gan.
The JMB, in a text message to one resident, said a lift contractor was willing to carry out repairs only if the JMB was able to provide a RM30,000 downpayment.
The message also said that the JMB had collected RM19,000 as of Jan 10.
Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng, who held a press conference to highlight the matter, said he could not ask the authorities for help as Apartment Permata Fadason was privately built and managed.
Lim said he was willing to assist if the JMB and residents also played their role.
“If the JMB is able to allocate RM50,000 for lift repairs, I will match that with a RM50,000 allocation.
“The amount of RM100,000 should be enough to fix at least two lifts.
“The residents here need to fulfil their responsibility and pay their maintenance fees so that the JMB can ensure the common facilities are repaired and maintained,” he said.
