Task force to assist poorly maintained low-cost flats

Mohd Jafni (fourth from left) with Johor Baru mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman (second from left) and members of the management corporation of Pangsapuri Sri Panglima Bukit Saujana in Johor Baru.

More than 120 affordable housing projects are not being properly maintained, according to Johor Housing Development Corporation (PKPJ).

Johor housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the main problem at these units were that residents neglected to pay the maintenance fees.

He added that PKPJ would be setting up a task force next year to look into the problems faced by the joint management bodies (JMB) or management corporations (MC).

“The task force will be led by me and PKPJ general manager Datin Paduka Suhailizan Suliman.

“Currently, we are collecting the data needed on all 120 projects.

“So far, I have visited 20 projects in person and found that 10 of them were in need of immediate aid,” he said.

Mohd Jafni added that all the flats were managed by either a JMB or MC, which comprise representatives that had been elected by the residents themselves to collect maintenance charges and sinking fund contributions.

“The state government only has jurisdiction over people’s housing projects (PPR) and Rumah Sewa Kerajaan (RSK), where there about 14,000 units are in Johor,” he said.

Citing an example, Mohd Jafni shared that Johor had recently allocated RM600,000 to fix a damaged road at Pangsapuri Sri Panglima Bukit Saujana in Johor Baru.

“The roads involved are located along the five blocks of Pangsapuri Sri Panglima, namely Blok Sri Bendahara A and B, and Blok Pahlawan A, B, and C.

“Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi visited the place recently and allocated RM600,000 for road upgrades at the flats,” he said.

For Pangsapuri Sri Panglima, the MC only collected between 30% and 40% of the maintenance fees, which was not enough to cover all of the damage and repairs of broken facilities, including lifts.

Mohd Jafni added that the monthly maintenance fee was about RM30 to RM40 per unit and there were 1,623 units at Pangsapuri Sri Panglima.

Meanwhile, Pangsapuri Sri Panglima MC manager Norkarmila Mohd Asat said she was thankful that the state government immediately provided a solution to the residents’ woes.

“It is good that the government intervenes and helps the residents here, and at the same time, we hope that residents are aware of their responsibility.

“Our main concern right now is the sewage treatment plant, but Onn Hafiz and Mohd Jafni have given their word that they will look into the matter, so we will wait on the progress of this issue,” she said.