Resident Lee Ben Chuan doing his best to keep the area around the Jalan Sepadu flats in Taman United, Kuala Lumpur, tidy. — Photos: CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
THE ageing flats along Jalan Sepadu 5 and 6 in Taman United, Kuala Lumpur, formerly known as Taman Lee Yan Lian, are a picture of decay.
The corridors of blocks A, B, C and D are stained while drains are choked with rubbish.
Without a formal management body, upkeep has become inconsistent and the once lively flats have fallen into neglect.
Many residents have stopped paying maintenance, while a handful of old-timers still sweep and clean – driven by habit and a sense of responsibility.
Most of the current occupants are tenants, many of whom are foreigners working in nearby areas and they rarely participate in upkeep efforts.
Residents can do little to stop the indiscriminate littering, dumping of rubbish and bulk waste around the flats.
Built in the late 1960s, the Jalan Sepadu flats were among the first privately developed low-rise projects in Kuala Lumpur.
Each block was designed as a walk-up flat, housing two-bedroom units measuring about 650sq ft, aimed at providing affordable homes for young families at the time.
Back then, the area was known for its close-knit community, with neighbours looking out for one another and taking pride in maintaining their surroundings.
Over the decades, however, original owners moved out or passed on, and the sense of community faded. Today, many units are rented out.
About 30% of the residents are aged between 60 and over 80, and many are calling for urgent assistance from the authorities to clean up and restore their ageing homes, which have fallen into disrepair due to decades of neglect.
Stagnant water, clogged drains and rubbish-filled parking bays have turned the neighbourhood into a health hazard, leaving residents struggling to cope with worsening conditions on their own.
The decay stems largely from the absence of any formal management or maintenance system since the flats were built more than half a century ago.
Pek says some owners have cemented over the drains in front of their units.
“No joint management body (JMB) or management corporation (MC) was formed, leaving us without a proper method to collect maintenance fees or carry out repairs,” said long-time resident Pek Ah Ho.
“Much of the trouble begins with poor drainage.
“Some owners have cemented over open drains in front of their units, blocking water flow.
“Now, rainwater and wastewater have nowhere to go, pooling along corridors and beneath stairwells,” said Pek, pointing to a murky puddle buzzing with mosquitoes.
In many areas, the drains are clogged with fat, oil and food residue that have hardened over time, blocking the outlets.
During a downpour, water spills into walkways and common areas, carrying with it foul smell and debris.
Residents fear the stagnant water could trigger a dengue outbreak.
In Block A, several upper-floor units have been left unoccupied for years, some after the owners passed away.
Their roofs have collapsed, with rainwater seeping down through the walls and into the units below.
“Every time it rains, the water drips into my living room,” said ground-floor occupant Grace Chin.
“I grew up here in the 1970s when this place was full of life. Families knew one another, children played in the corridors, and there was always a sense of belonging.
“Every time I visit my late mother’s unit, which is now tenanted, it breaks my heart to see the cracked walls and rubbish.
“It’s painful to see what’s become of the place we once called home.”
What used to be the basement carpark of blocks B and C has turned into a personal storage and dumping ground.
“Discarded furniture, broken appliances and household waste are piled high, with no proper cleaning or monitoring.
“People just throw whatever they don’t want there,” said resident Melinda Ooi, adding it has become a rubbish dump.
Outside Block C, a major monsoon drain has turned into what residents jokingly call a “swimming pool”.
“Years of overgrown vegetation and blocked outlets caused water to stagnate, creating yet another mosquito breeding area,” said Khong Ah Lan.
“It’s been like that for months, the water doesn’t flow out anymore.
“Every time it rains, it overflows onto the road.”
Residents said the situation was made worse by the absence of a management body.
Over the years, several residents tried collecting contributions for cleaning and minor repairs, but most efforts failed.
Chin says it’s painful to see what has become of the place they call home.
“Many occupants are tenants who say it’s not their responsibility to pay maintenance,” said Chin.
Without a collective fund or authority to manage upkeep, the flats have deteriorated with leaky pipes, broken lights and rubbish piling up.
Residents are appealing to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Seputeh MP’s office to step in and help clean up the area, repair damaged infrastructure, and restore hygiene.
“We just want a clean and safe place to live,” said Khong.
A site visit by StarMetro found the flats in poor condition with some units falling apart.
One unit in Block D was missing its roof and looked like an abandoned building exposed to the elements.
Other units were facing serious water ponding issues as leaks caused constant puddling in several areas.
It is doubtful the fire safety system is in working condition, while the hydrant outside the flats was blocked by roadside traders, posing a safety hazard. — By BAVANI M
