SELAYANG Municipal Council (MPS) is working with the Gombak Land and District Office to take over more than 70 community halls to better manage and maintain them.
The move comes in response to concerns raised by councillors and residents regarding the deteriorating state of numerous community halls, many of which had been left abandoned, neglected or unusable.
Council president Shahman Jalaludin said the authorities identified 73 such community halls within its jurisdiction.
“These community halls built in the 1980s and 1990s were originally constructed by private entities, corporations or political parties to meet localised needs at the time.
“However, some of them are neglected, lack proper maintenance or have been abandoned, which poses safety risks to users,” he said after a full board meeting at the MPS headquarters in Bandar Baru Selayang.
Shahman said both MPS and the land office were assessing the halls, including ownership and land titles, before gazetting and taking over the structures.
“For community halls built on state land, those within villages are expected to be handed over to the land and district office, while halls situated within residential housing estates will be assumed and gazetted by MPS.
“Structures built on private land present a more complex challenge as this requires further discussion to determine whether they will be acquired or left under current arrangements.”
Shahman reiterated the importance of gazetting these halls under MPS because public tax revenues could not be spent on repairing or upgrading structures not officially gazetted under the council’s portfolio.
“For example, the gazetted Dewan Seri Siantan and Dewan Beringin are well maintained and provide a comfortable place for residents to host weddings, sports and community activities.”
Zone 24 councillor Fok Wai Mun and Zone 5 councillor Nooraimi Hani Ahmad Suhaimi also supported acquiring the community halls during the full board meeting.
Nooraimi Hani highlighted the need for proper maintenance of the halls for safety.
“Last year, pieces of the ceiling above an office at the community hall in Taman Selaseh fell.
“Our contractors found that the ceiling above the office had deteriorated and started to rot.
“We are afraid that it will affect other parts of the ceiling,” she said.
Fok said gazetting the halls was vital for MPS to maintain the structures for community use.
“I am also pushing for a community hall to be built along Jalan E 5/9, Taman Ehsan as the previous one was demolished due to its dilapidated structure,” he said.
