KUALA LUMPUR, March 16, 2012 — Residents of low-cost flats with bulk meters can finally enjoy free water for the first 20 cubic metres like the rest of Selangor from April 1 onwards.
"We urge residents of low-cost flats to push their management corporations, joint management bodies and residents' associations to contact their COB (controller of building) in order to get free water," said Iskandar Abdul Samad, chairman of the Selangor State Housing, Building Management and Squatter Committee, in a statement today.
In March 2008, the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government launched the free water policy, which allowed households to get the first 20 cubic metres of water for free.
But flat-dwellers, many of whom are from the lower-income group, were excluded due to the bulk meters installed in their buildings.
Under a new programme called Lapor dan Dapat, all residents have to do is inform the COB of the number of occupied units in their apartment building and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) will then deduct from the bulk meter the amount equivalent to 20 cubic metres of water for every occupied unit. Each resident will also receive deductions on their individual bill.
Lapor dan Dapat will speed up the process of giving free water to Selangor flat-dwellers as the existing coupon system, which began in late 2010, is too complicated
Both the bulk meter deduction and coupon system were implemented as alternatives to Syabas's system of "migration" from bulk meters to individual meters - Anisah Shukry, Malaysian Insider.