NET WORK BEGINS AT 72 PPRS
All cost to be borne by City Hall, says federal territories minister
KUALA Lumpur City Hall has begun installing safety nets at 72 People’s Housing Projects (PPRs) in and around Kuala Lumpur.
Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said work began at 494 blocks of PPRs in the city following last week’s incident, in which 15-year-old S. Sathiswaran died after being struck by a chair thrown from the upper floor of a Pantai Dalam PPR.
“Although the boy’s death is the first fatal incident, there have been numerous instances of residents being injured by items thrown from upper floors.
“We view this matter seriously, as lives are at stake,” he said.
City Hall was mulling imposing stricter penalties on those found guilty of throwing items from upper floors, he said, adding that there were 80,000 PPR units in the city.
“(As for the Pantai Dalam incident), action will be taken against the perpetrator. This case is unprecedented and we will make sure that the law takes its course,” he said.
On the cost of installing the safety nets, he said it had yet to be determined, but would be fully borne by City Hall.
He was speaking at the “Kibar Bendera Wilayah Persekutuan” event here, ahead of the Federal Territories Day celebration on Feb 1.
The event saw the launch of a convoy of 30 vehicles, which will stop in seven locations in Kuala Lumpur, to ramp up excitement for the big day.
DBKL housing management and community development director Wan Mohammad Ghazali Nor said the installation of safety nets and building of concrete slabs on the external walls at PPR Seri Pantai had begun.
“DBKL has appointed a contractor. Upon completing work at the PPR, installation at other PPR will be done,” he told the New Straits Times.
Concrete slabs and safety nets were installed in some PPRs even before the incident. However, all PPRs would now be fitted with concrete slabs and safety nets, Wan Mohammad said.
He said City Hall had identified 13 hotspots or PPRs out of 72 in Kuala Lumpur.
These hotspots are identified based on the number of drug cases and thefts reported and other social problems.
“We are working with the police to monitor these hotspots, including increasing patrols and operations, as well as assigning officers to inspect the area from time to time.”
Among the hotspots are PA (Public Housing) Seri Selangor, PPR Kerinchi, PPR Seri Pantai, PPR Intan Baiduri, PPR Kampung Baru Air Panas and PA Seri Johor.
Other are PA Seri Kota, PPR Desa Tun Razak, PPR Pudu Ulu, PPR Salak Selatan, PPR Kampung Baru Muhibbah, PPR Beringin and PPR Desa Rejang.
Wan Mohammad said they had held meetings with residents’ associations as well as block and floor heads, and had urged them to inform the City Hall if residents left their belongings in the corridors.