In the red: Angry Desa Mentari residents vent their anger over the three-day water cut and demand to know when supply can be restored, during the meeting with residents and Syabas organised by Wong (standing at table)
Tempers flared during a meeting to resolve a three-day water cut in Desa Mentari flats due to non-payment of the bill by residents.
Residents in the three blocks owe Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) a total of RM179,795.75.
Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen organised the meeting at the low-cost flats, which was attended by Syabas senior manager Vasan Ramachandran and Faudzi Esbat, a representative from the management agent, Mentari Management Sdn Bhd.
The residents were told water supply to their units had been cut because of the high delinquency rate in paying the bills.
They asked for a list of non-paying residents so that each apartment block’s resident leaders could begin knocking on doors to demand payment.
According to Wong, Desa Mentari Blocks 1 to 3 are still on bulk water meters and the issue of migration to individual units was raised.
He added that his office would be writing a letter of appeal to Syabas and he donated RM2,500 from his MP allocation to help settle the arrears.
Syabas corporate communications and public affairs general manager Priscilla Alfred said Block 3 managed to pay 50% of their arrears and supply was reconnected on Thursday.
She said Blocks 1 and 2 were to have their supply reconnected yesterday and residents were given a grace period of two weeks to settle their arrears,
Block 2, said Wong, was the worst hit with some 760 out of 800 units defaulting in payment, and the block owed the largest amount in arrears at RM120,720.95.
“Meanwhile, about 60% of Block 1 residents are not paying their service charge or water bills,” he added.
Since the water cut, single mother Azizh Ahmad Zainuddin has had to go to the surauto collect water.
Block 2 resident Chandra Subramaniam said some residents resorted to taking water from the fire hydrant out of desperation.
“This is the first time our water supply has been cut due to non-payment,” said Chandra, who has lived here for 13 years.
Faudzi said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) might also cut electricity supply to the flats’ common areas as payment was in arrears too.
“If that happens, it will be even worse because it will affect the lifts and water pumps,” he said.
Desa Mentari consists of eight blocks in total.
