REACH welcome the announcement by the Housing Minister, Hajjah Zuraida Kamaruddin, to call for a committee meeting involving all parties responsible to formulate a mechanism to reduce the number of incidents relating to lifts in this country. Last Friday ( 3rd August ) a lift at the Kerinchi PPR crashed to the ground injuring 8 residents.
However we hope that the Ministry will not only focus on lifts but also all other aspects especially at the Program Perumahan Rakyat ( People’s Housing Programme ) or PPR. Some of the PPRs were built more than 20 years ago.
Therefore a detailed inspection or audit must be carried out by the government to determine whether they are still safe to be occupied.
Lifts are important and must be given the full attention but there are other aspects of a building that must never be neglected. Among them are,
1.) ELECTRICAL WIRINGS.
Old electrical wirings could cause short circuit and start a fire. A fire at a 17-storey building like the PPRs not only could damage properties but could also result in the deaths. Therefore the electrical wirings must be inspected and tested to ensure they are safe.
The government must be willing to allocate funds for the cost of rewiring. No expense should be spared when life is at stake.
2.) BRICKWALLS AND RAILINGS THAT ARE NO LONGER STURDY.
Brickwalls and railings especially at the corridors must be confirmed to be sturdy. Brickwalls that are no longer sturdy or crumbling are liable to collapse. Railings that have rusted may get detached or disintegrated and are dangerous to whoever that leans on to it, especially children. They may fall to the ground and may result in serious injuries or even deaths. There have been deaths at a PPR when 2 children fell from the top floors because the rusted railings were detached.
When I was the Housing Exco in Selangor, the State Government repaired and replaced railings at the corridors and staircases of the Kota Damansara PPR in 2016.
3.) ROOF COVERINGS THAT ARE DETACHED OR CRUMBLING.
Detached, broken or crumbling roof coverings like concrete tiles, metal deckings or cement fibre sheets will allow water to flow into the dwellings when it rains. Water may not kill the residents but it may lead to short circuit that could cause fire or it could conduct electricity and electrocute the residents.
Apart from that, the roof coverings that fall to the ground or blown by high wind would cause serious injuries or even deaths if they hit the residents.
The cost to replace the roof coverings maybe high but is necessary to be carried out if it could improve the quality of life or could save lives.
Therefore, we hope that the Housing Ministry and the state governments will cooperate to carry out the total inspections ( audits ) to ensure the safety of the residents.
Based on my experience as the Housing Exco, the state governments do carry out repairs and refurbishments at the PPRs but they may not have adequate funds to carry out comprehensive repairs. The Federal Government must extend financial aid to them.
In 2012 when I was the Housing Exco, the Selangor State Government spent RM3.2 million to repair and replace 29 lifts and 2 water pumps at the Kota Damansara and Taman Putra Permai, Kota Damansara PPR.
The Federal Government must at least allocate RM200 million for all PPRs They must not wait untill any fatality before taking action.
Dato’ Iskandar Abdul Samad
Head Coordinator
REACH
( Resource Centre For The Advancement Of The Community And Housing )
5 Zulhijjah 1440 / 5 August 2019
However we hope that the Ministry will not only focus on lifts but also all other aspects especially at the Program Perumahan Rakyat ( People’s Housing Programme ) or PPR. Some of the PPRs were built more than 20 years ago.
Therefore a detailed inspection or audit must be carried out by the government to determine whether they are still safe to be occupied.
Lifts are important and must be given the full attention but there are other aspects of a building that must never be neglected. Among them are,
1.) ELECTRICAL WIRINGS.
Old electrical wirings could cause short circuit and start a fire. A fire at a 17-storey building like the PPRs not only could damage properties but could also result in the deaths. Therefore the electrical wirings must be inspected and tested to ensure they are safe.
The government must be willing to allocate funds for the cost of rewiring. No expense should be spared when life is at stake.
2.) BRICKWALLS AND RAILINGS THAT ARE NO LONGER STURDY.
Brickwalls and railings especially at the corridors must be confirmed to be sturdy. Brickwalls that are no longer sturdy or crumbling are liable to collapse. Railings that have rusted may get detached or disintegrated and are dangerous to whoever that leans on to it, especially children. They may fall to the ground and may result in serious injuries or even deaths. There have been deaths at a PPR when 2 children fell from the top floors because the rusted railings were detached.
When I was the Housing Exco in Selangor, the State Government repaired and replaced railings at the corridors and staircases of the Kota Damansara PPR in 2016.
3.) ROOF COVERINGS THAT ARE DETACHED OR CRUMBLING.
Detached, broken or crumbling roof coverings like concrete tiles, metal deckings or cement fibre sheets will allow water to flow into the dwellings when it rains. Water may not kill the residents but it may lead to short circuit that could cause fire or it could conduct electricity and electrocute the residents.
Apart from that, the roof coverings that fall to the ground or blown by high wind would cause serious injuries or even deaths if they hit the residents.
The cost to replace the roof coverings maybe high but is necessary to be carried out if it could improve the quality of life or could save lives.
Therefore, we hope that the Housing Ministry and the state governments will cooperate to carry out the total inspections ( audits ) to ensure the safety of the residents.
Based on my experience as the Housing Exco, the state governments do carry out repairs and refurbishments at the PPRs but they may not have adequate funds to carry out comprehensive repairs. The Federal Government must extend financial aid to them.
In 2012 when I was the Housing Exco, the Selangor State Government spent RM3.2 million to repair and replace 29 lifts and 2 water pumps at the Kota Damansara and Taman Putra Permai, Kota Damansara PPR.
The Federal Government must at least allocate RM200 million for all PPRs They must not wait untill any fatality before taking action.
Dato’ Iskandar Abdul Samad
Head Coordinator
REACH
( Resource Centre For The Advancement Of The Community And Housing )
5 Zulhijjah 1440 / 5 August 2019