State governments have been urged to take over control of management corporations (MC) of low-cost flats situated on private land as residents are not financially sound to operate them.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) leader R Mohana Rani told Malaysiakini that the poor families who live in such low-cost flats do not have the financial means to maintain management services of their buildings.

"When one compares such flats to terrace houses, it is these flats that pay more in maintenance charges as flats have to pay both assessment rates and maintenance costs whereas terrace houses only pay assessment rates," she argued.

"Under section 50 of the Strata Act, the state government can take over control of MCs of flats when the residents are unable to do so," she reasoned.

She is helping about 280 First Garden low-cost flats families in Ipoh who face difficulties in sustaining the operations of their MC.

The residents have today handed their second appeal letter to Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir to intervene in their 10-year problem and allow the Ipoh City Council to take charge of such operations. The first letter was sent on July 6.

"At present, there are 160 empty units in the First Garden flats as many residents and owners, fearing for the safety and security of their families, have moved out."

According to Rani, most of the flats are in a depleted condition with leaking roofs, uncut grass, overflowing septic tanks, no lighting in the corridors, blocked drains infested with mosquitoes, faulty fire hydrants and rubbish uncollected.

Empty units occupied by drug addicts

She also stated that drug addicts are occupying the empty units and terrorising the residents with assault and robbery.

When the state was under Pakatan Rakyat rule, then menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin had promised to help the residents to solve the problem and instructed the Ipoh City Council to find a solution to the residents' problem.

However, the Pakatan state government was overthrown by the BN in February and the issue has remained unsolved.

Now the city council states that it will need at least RM500,000 to repair all the damaged units in First Garden and it is not feasible to take over the flats MC.

"The BN state government must have the political will to take over the First Garden MC operation which will ease the financial burden of the residents," Rani stated.

Rani suggested that the council can take control of the MC and charge a bit more for the maintenance fees.