Flat residents complain of rotting walls
KUALA LUMPUR: Every time it rains, occupants of the 1,200 Loke Yew and Hang Tuah public housing units are worried that the rotten and termite-infested wooden walls of their homes will collapse.
They become more agitated when there are strong winds and thunderstorm as they will be drenched with rainwater seeping through the walls of their almost 70year-old homes.
Resident Mohd Ismail Abdullah, 57, expressed concern over the situation, as well as the safety of other residents .
“It is like a booby trap, just waiting for someone to step on and ‘boom’,” said Ismail.
He said the Loke Yew public housing units were built in 1968, and the one in Jalan Hang Tuah in 1969.
“So, the dilapidated conditions of the housing units is understandable.”
Another resident, Mohd Azmi Zakaria, 57, said a few occupants, however, had forked out their own money to replace the wooden walls with brick or concrete walls.
“I urge the relevant quarters to replace or repair the rotting wooden walls of the houses so that the lives of the residents, especially children’s, are not endangered,” said Azmi, who had been a resident there since 1995.
In October 2014, strong winds ripped the walls of three Loke Yew public housing units, which were on the 10th, 13th and 18th floors. Luckily, there were no casualties.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah said City Hall had issued orders for repair works to be carried out immediately.