PENANG has recorded a whopping RM17.6 million in unpaid maintenance fees to date from certain quarters of property owners in the state.
State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo, who revealed this alarming figure, said he was puzzled over the hefty amount of uncollected fees.
He said the amount was merely RM14 million when he started his portfolio duty back in 2013.
“In the space of over five years, the amount has escalated to over RM3 million to a total of RM17.6 million.
“It is unbecoming for owners to not pay the fees as this amount of money is important for projects and maintenance works to be undertaken.
“I sincerely hope these property owners would pay up their arrears soonest to allow such works to be carried out.
“All these works will be halted if nothing is done,” he told reporters after inspecting the installation of four lifts and rooftop upgrading at the People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Taman Bagan Jaya, Butterworth today.
The cost of four lifts was RM1,185,000 while rooftop upgrading cost was RM373,500.
Works for the installation of four lifts started on Oct 1 last year and was completed on Oct 13 this year while the rooftop upgrading works started on Feb 14 and was completed on Sept 25.
Jagdeep said he was informed that the maintenance fees’ arrears at PPR in Taman Bagan Jaya was RM1,645,600 recorded last month.
Jagdeep, meanwhile, maintained that the state would continue with its rent-to-own (RTO) scheme initiative in assisting those in lower-come group.
He added that the state has planned to have at least 10 percent of PPR units out of 180,000 affordable units by 2030.
“We will not neglect the people,” he said, adding that the state had spent about RM233 million for maintenance works of public and private housings till last month.
Jagdeep said state had forked out a total of about RM4.8 million for mechanical, electrical and maintenance works for PPR in Taman Bagan Jaya alone.
“We also applied to the Housing and Local Government Ministry to have RM380,000 to be disbursed for repainting works and installation of anti-vandalism lift system (AVAS) to be carried out,” he added.
Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Boon Poh, who was present, also criticised those culprits carrying out acts of vandalism at the PPR in Taman Bagan Jaya.
“I don’t understand why those residents staying here want to carry out such act. It’s their living place,” he said.
Phee said he hoped the residents would take care their property and to not resort to such act.
Also present were state Public Works Department (PWD) director Roslan Ismail and state Housing Department senior principal assistant secretary Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting