Residents of the Cassia Resort Condominium (Block A) in Butterworth are up in arms over the state government and developer’s alleged delay in responding to the various problems concerning their units.

The condominium’s joint management board (JMB) chairperson Chu Weng Yew has taken state assemblypersons Lim Hock Seng (Bagan Jermal) and Phee Boon Poh (Sungai Puyu) to task for not listening to their grouses.

Lim, the state exco for public works, utilities, and transport and Phee, who is in charge of welfare, caring community and environment, are both DAP assemblypersons in Butterworth.

“Please don't try to run and escape from the issue today. They're all holding high posts in the state government, we want them to have a certain standard of leadership,” Chu said in a statement sent to Malaysiakini.

“They should have the courage to apologise to the rakyat here. Nobody is perfect and making mistakes is common. Just apologise and proceed. This is the quality of leaders that the people want,” he added.

When contacted, Phee said the state government had met several times with the condominium’s JMB and the developer, and the matter was raised at the state legislative assembly when he was an opposition member, prior to 2008.

“However, since there was a court case going on between the JMB and the developer, we do not want to prejudice the case.

“We are still trying to resolve the issue but do take note that the condominium’s plan was approved in 2005 under the previous government,” he added.

Malaysiakini has contacted Lim but he is not available for comment.

The residents’ grouses include having to pay extra for electricity and water supply for the shared facility floor located at the second floor of Block A.

Another problem they cited was the covered monsoon drain which has been turned into a car park, and the eight additional units in Block A from the earlier 148 units.

Also, they want the strata title for the facility floor, currently owned 100 percent by the developer, be co-owned by all purchasers.

MCA Bagan division secretary Dr Tan Chuan Hong said there are 156 units in Cassia Blok A.

He questioned where were the 47 units of low-cost housing which was planned by the developer.

“We want to know also how much premium the (state) government has received by not building low-cost housing. Where is the money now and how they are going to spend this money?

“On the drainage system to be turned into parking lots, will the state government bear the responsibility if an accident were to happen?” Tan asked.