[Watch] Penang’s Elected Reps Try To Look Into Last Election’s Promise, Faces Residents’ Wrath Instead
Residents are seeing red because the tank refurbishment project has dragged on for four years.
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When it comes to politics, Malaysians have become pretty pessimistic.
People don’t trust the elected politicians, and voter turnout is mediocre.
Cynicism is rampant, and it’s not unfounded, as politicians often forget the people once they have been voted in.
Recently, a visit by Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh and Paya Terubong assemblyman Yeoh Soon Hin to an apartment complex in Ayer Hitam drew the ire of its residents.
The residents vent their frustration at them for the delay in completing a rooftop water tank refurbishment project.
Speaking Up Is Paramount
Resident K. Suthakar was among those who held the politicians accountable.
He said the project was a pre-election promise announced in Feb 2018 before GE14, which was held in May that year.
The promise was announced by Ramkarpal’s elder brother Jagdeep Singh Deo, a state Exco member in charge of housing, among others.
Suthakar said the state government undertook the project under the maintenance fund programme for high-rise schemes.
The state government bears 80% of the upgrading and repair cost, while the management corporation, property management agent or Joint Management Body bears the remaining 20%. The refurbishment of 28 tanks in 14 blocks in Tanjung Court has still not been completed even after four years!
Tanjung Court resident K. Suthakar on the the stalled project which has seen four long years.
Suthakar, a retired news editor, added that he had done everything he could in these four years to get the politicians to help but to no avail.
He said that is why the residents are flabbergasted that only now they have come to resolve the issue.
The residents know that the general election could be held at any time due to political instability.
If the Dewan Rakyat was suddenly dissolved, how could he (Ramkarpal) come to Tanjung Court to canvass for support when his earlier GE14 pre-election promise had yet to be honoured?
Tanjung Court resident K. Suthakar on the timing of the visit by the DAP lawmakers.
The Price Of Incompetence
Suthakar said that Ramkarpal could not give any answers except saying approval was given in early June for work to begin in the remaining seven blocks.
The residents lamented that the cost kept ballooning, with several contractors appointed over the years, and are concerned with the final cost.
The first contractor, a BN component party leader, was awarded the RM299,000 project to upgrade 28 storage tanks in 14 blocks.
He abandoned the work, and residents wondered how much he was paid.
Then the second contractor was paid RM280,980 to upgrade 12 storage tanks (six blocks).
The third contractor will be paid RM338,850 for 14 storage tanks (7 blocks). Initially, it was RM299,000 for 14 blocks and a further RM619,830 for the remaining 13 blocks.
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