MPKj to take on role of developer

The Star, Monday March 4, 2013

No longer safe: It has become unsafe for residents to continue living in Taman Mudun, Kajang, below the Venice Hill condominium.

 

FOR the first time, the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) will take on the role of a developer for a project in Taman Mudun, Kajang.

Council president Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abdul Rahman said this after the council’s monthly full board meeting recently.

“We have stepped in to save the project as the previous developer is bankrupt. The project, consisting of 18 single-storey houses, costs RM2.8mil, with RM1.18mil from the previous developer and RM1.62mil from MPKj,” he said.

StarMetro in a July 15, 2010, article headlined “Fearing for their safety”, it was reported that the residents were living in fear as Tower 4 of the Venice Hill condominium project was being constructed on a steep slope near the houses.

The residents, especially those living in Jalan Pertunia and Jalan Lantana, complained that heavy rain would wash down earth and debris onto their roads but were assured by the project consultant that the developer had taken all the safety measures. Two years later, the state government decided that the houses were under threat and ordered the developer to build new houses on a different plot of land within Taman Mudun.

Hassan Nawawi said the problem would be resolved at last.

“Residents from 18 houses will be relocated and houses at the old site will be demolished. They have to pay RM90,000 to move in. The houses are valued at RM250,000 each,” he said.

Taman Mudun resident Kok Aik Siong, 35, who has been living in the neighbourhood for 25 years, said they would definitely relocate for the sake of safety.

“However, there are many details to look into, for example, the Sale and Purchase (S&P) agreement is not ready and we are still paying off the loan for our current house,” he said.

His neighbour Linda Yap said they had agreed to relocate as the current houses were in a dangerous location but that they did not agree to the price stated.

“Most of the residents are retirees and to pay RM90,000 is too high. We hope to get a RM40,000 discount,” she said, adding that they received the offer letter from MPKj two weeks ago.

Another resident Lee Y. M., 65, said he was still considering the offer.

“We were told that we will be compensated but now we have to fork out RM90,000 to relocate?

“We hope we will be given a discount,” he said.

However, not all the residents were given the offer, only 18 houses nearest the condominium project were given offer letters.

The other houses in Jalan Pertunia and Jalan Lantana have been left out.

Lisa Leow, 61, is one of those exclu­ded and she is not happy about it.

“I have been living here for over 30 years and the condominium was constructed about 10 years later.

“Why am I not given the offer to relocate?” she questioned.

On a separate issue, MPKj said it would be taking over the commercial waste collection for the first time.

Hasan Nawawi said although business owners had to hire their own contractors for commercial waste collection, many had not done so.

“We will now make it compulsory for business owners to pay a fee for the service.

“The rates differ according to the type of business they run.”

MPKj Town and Health Services Department director Arshad Salleh said shop owners should be responsible for keeping their premises clea