Condo residents furious over water cut

19/09/2007 The Malay Mail By KALBANA PERIMBANAYAGAM

TEMPERS ran high at the Desa View Tower after Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) disconnected water supply to four condominium blocks in Jalan Genting Klang near Taman Melawati yesterday.

The 262 residents were caught off guard when Syabas workers cut their water supply over the failure of the condominium management to settle nearly RM350,000 in unpaid bills.

Residents were fuming over Syabas’s action, claiming there was no notice from the utility company.

Speaking on their behalf, Engku Hassan Engku Chik Ahmad, 60, said it was inconsiderate of Syabas to disconnect their water supply during Ramadan.

“It’s not right to cut our basic necessity, without notice. Many of us need to conduct our prayers and prepare food. We need the water.”

Engku Hassan said residents are aware of the outstanding arrears and have made arrangements with Syabas headquarters to keep the water running while waiting for settlement, but they never expected Syabas to act so drastically.

“We have been paying our current bills and promised to settle the outstanding balance of RM344,324.20 once our proposal to change the bulk meter system to individual meters is implemented.

“But why did they disconnect the water supply despite the request and the payment of current bills for the past two months?”

Engku Hassan said the accumulated arrears was due to poor upkeep by the condominium management company, which has switched hands a few times since the first management company went bankrupt in 1999.

He said it was not the residents’ fault if the previous management failed to settle the water supply bills with Syabas promptly.

“We have been using the bulk meter system and making our payments to the management company. If the management company didn’t pay Syabas, what can we do?” he asked.

Engku Hassan said to keep their water supply running, RM6,380 had been collected from residents and paid to Syabas for July and RM7,000 for August.

Thus, the residents were upset when their water supply was disconnected even after this.

Syabas general manager of corporate communications and public affairs, Abdul Halem Mat Som, said in a statement that the company had sent 15 final warning letters between August 2005 and March 2007, but the condominium management company had not responded to make payment.

“A ‘high outstanding balance reminder’ was sent to the management company on April 2 and on Sept 11, we sent a letter to the company for payment of the outstanding balance.

“We have no choice but to cut the water supply today (yesterday) and it will be reconnected only when payment is made.

“We are merely following procedures. We urge them to settle the bills at any payment counter immediately to enable reconnection of the water supply.”