Residents complain of power, water woes
KOTA KINABALU: Residents of Marina Court here have expressed dissatisfaction over the insufficient water supply and frequent power cuts, allegedly caused by construction work near the condominium since early July.
Power outages and water disruptions sometimes last up to 12 hours or more, said resident Scott Chew, adding that even Promenade Hotel had resorted to calling for a backup water tank.
“Earlier this week, there was water supply disruption from 8pm up to 11am the following day. Since construction began outside the Marina compound, there has been water and power cuts on and off without notice.
“We do experience disturbances in general, but not as bad as when the construction began. Even the Api-Api commercial area is affected.”
Scott said the availability of basic amenities should not be an issue, especially in the city area, adding that many Marina Court residents are also frustrated that the management is not taking proactive measures to come up with a long-term solution to the matter.
Another resident said that even before construction began outside Marina, the number of water tanks was insufficient to cater to the needs of the whole condominium.
“The situation worsened with the construction happening at our doorstep,” said another resident, Jack Cheang, adding that the Marina Court management had not taken steps to rectify the situation.
“We’ve voiced our dissatisfaction many times to the management. We’ve even met with the Water Department and we were told to schedule a meeting with them and the management, but they (the management) keep giving us excuses. This has been dragged on since last year,” he said.
The residents claimed that water supply disruptions happen as often as three to four times a week, sometimes with no water for the whole day, while power outages have plagued the condo up to five times since construction began.
In addition, Jack mentioned that tourists who stay in Marina Court serviced apartments have also been complaining about the water and power shortages.
“It is embarrassing when tourists complain about no water and electricity because this is a business centre. Tourists who come to stay here compare us to their own country, and it is shameful to have to tell them this is just the way it is,” he said.
The water and power supply issues goes beyond inconveniencing daily life and even affect business operations, said the owner of Jothy’s Curry House in Api-Api Centre.
“Nobody wants to eat curry in this weather, what more when there is no air-conditioning. I have people walking away the moment they see there is no electricity, and it takes a toll on my business.
“Sometimes there is no electricity for 12 hours or even more. Yesterday (Tuesday), there was also water disruption from 8pm the day before and it only resumed supply at around 3 pm.”
When contacted, Tokojaya Sdn Bhd general manager Ong Beng Leong said, issues pertaining to water supply disruptions and power cuts should be taken up with the authorities concerned, as the management (of Marina Court) had no control over the matter.
Regarding meeting with the Water Department, Ong said there might have been a meeting a year or two ago but as of now, he had no knowledge of any arrangements to meet again.
Scott alleged that a letter from the Water Department to the management, dated January 22, 2014 suggested that the management install additional water tanks and change the piping system in Marina Court to overcome the issue of water supply, but no action has been taken.
When asked to comment regarding insufficient water tanks, Ong said, “There is no such thing. Put it this way – if the water tanks are really not up to capacity as claimed by the residents, the building would not have been approved in the first place. These residents are just making a wild guess.”