Luyang rep pledges fund to replace leaky pipes
KOTA KINABALU: Luyang assemblyman Datuk Hiew King Cheu has pledged to utilise RM120,000 of the state assemblyman's special allocation fund to replace the leaking main pipes at the Vila Luyang residential area.
Hiew said the acidic ground condition with high sulphur content has corroded the old metal pipes and caused water leakages.
However, he said the previous management of Vila Luyang had not resolved the issue, which has now caused high water bills as shown in the main bulk meter.
As a result, Hiew said Vila Luyang was charged with expensive water bills even though the individual water metres installed for the 112 houses in the residential area recorded far less usage with the water leakage unaccounted for.
Consequently, the management is currently faced with an outstanding water bill of RM390,000 and Vila Luyang Management Corporation has engaged a contractor to replace all the main pipes, which will cost another RM130,000, he disclosed.
"To date, only RM26,000 has been paid to the contractor," Hiew said in a press conference here yesterday.
Work has commenced since November 13 last year and was expected to be completed in two weeks' time before Chinese New Year, he added.
As such, Hiew said he would utilise RM120,000 of the special allocation fund to pay for the replacement of the main distribution pipes.
"It will depend on how fast the Chief Minister can disburse the allocation," he noted.
Hiew added that he will also discuss with the Water Department on possibilities to reduce the amount of the outstanding water bill.
Meanwhile, Vila Luyang Management Corporation chairman Dino Chung said the residential area has been incurring water losses since 2009.
The service fee paid by the house owners was insufficient to cover the increasing losses incurred by the water leakage, Chung said.
As Vila Luyang was a subsidiary title property, he said the management would have to pay the amount displayed at the main bulk meter.
According to Chung, the new management took over in August last year and has engaged WTW Property Services (S) Sdn Bhd to manage the property at a reduced fee.
Also present was WTW Property Services (S) Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Chong Choon Kim.