residents of Pangsapuri Selayang Segar in Batu Caves, Selangor have been advised to pay up maintenance fees for their flats.
Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) councillor Ahmad Zahiri Zahid Sofian said the maintenance of one’s home was always the responsibility of its owner.
“It is not fair to not pay maintenance fees and expect (other) taxpayers to take care of their problems,” he said.
He was commenting on a StarMetro report on Jan 13, “No JMB leads to upkeep issues at Selayang flats” where residents had complained of maintenance issues and their inability to deal with them due to the absence of a joint management body.
MPS’ Commissioner of Buildings (COB) said it had planned to list the flats to be considered for the appointment of a managing agent this year.
Ahmad Zahiri said since 2008, residents have used contributions to repaint the building facade, replace gutters and stormwater downpipes and tackle persistent rubbish problems.
He stepped in twice to help with blocked sewage pipes, first in 2024 and later in 2025.
“On both occasions, residents collected some funds and I topped up the remaining amount needed,” he said.
Ahmad Zahiri said with 100 units, a collection of just RM30 per unit would have been more than enough to pay for the service without having to ask for assistance.
Another issue was the overflowing waste at the rubbish house, he said.
“As the flats are not fenced up, this has become a hotspot with fly-tippers dumping construction debris here.
“Erecting a fence will solve the problem, but again, because no one is paying maintenance fees, there is no funding for a fence.”
Ahmad Zahiri said residents brought his attention to the collapsed perimeter drains around the apartment blocks.
“There is a special fund for upgrades in low-cost housing units. I will do the necessary.”
He said having a JMB would benefit residents in the long run.
“With a JMB, it will be easier for residents to receive government aid. This is because funds cannot be paid into individual accounts, only to registered organisations,” he added.
