SHAH ALAM – Community and Housing Development (REACH) Resource Center wants the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to not only emphasize the problem of elevators in the People’s Housing Project (PPR) area, but other aspects as well.
Its chairman, Dato’ Iskandar Abdul Samad, said this was because most of the PPR had been built for over 20 years.
He said a detailed inspection is needed by the government to ensure that the PPR areas are still safe to live in.
“REACH welcomed the announcement of Minister of Housing and Local Government, Zuraida Kamaruddin, to hold a committee meeting involving all parties to find a mechanism to reduce incidents related to elevators in the country,” he said.
“Elevators are a key aspect to be aware of, but there are other aspects to consider as well. Thus, we hope the KPKT will not only emphasize the elevators but also emphasize other aspects, ” he added.
Iskandar said that among the aspects to be addressed are the electrical wiring, stone walls and railings that are no longer strong as well as the roof slabs.
He said outdated electrical wiring can cause short circuits and fires and thus needs to be checked to determine if it is safe.
“Whereas, the walls and railings, especially in the corridor areas, must be certified as strong. The worn-out walls can collapse at any time, as well as the severely rusted railings. It is very dangerous for anyone who leans against the wall especially children,” he said.
“They are likely to fall and if it happens from a high level this can cause serious injury and even death.”
In addition, he noted that roof coverings such as concrete slabs, metal sheets or cement fibers that are damaged, broken or worn out can cause leaks when it rains.
Iskandar said water that enters the home due to the leakages may not be dangerous but it may cause short circuits, fires or may cause electrical current that will in turn cause electrical shocks.
“Therefore, we hope the KPKT and the state government will work together to carry out a comprehensive audit in order to ensure the safety of the population,” he said.
