7 Dec 2017

News release by MCA Penang State Organising Secretary cum MCA Bagan Division Secretary Dr Tan Chuan Hong


Excessive water charges & lawsuit against flat dwellers illogical!




MCA Penang State Organising Secretary cum MCA Bagan Division Secretary Dr Tan Chuan Hong has urged the Chief Minister of Penang YAB Lim Guan Eng, who is also Chairman of the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBA), to rescind the unreasonable debt-collection lawsuit against Perbadanan Pengurusan Taman Tanjung Block A, Butterworth.

He said, “according to Perbadanan Pengurusan Taman Tanjung, they have been charged with a water bill exceeding RM1,200 every two months eventhough they have never used a drop of water.”

"I agree with them that they are not supposed to bear the erroneous water bill totaling RM21,044.10 since they took over from the developer’s management company in July 2014 and replacing a new water meter until May 2017."

Further informing that, “according to the management corporation (MC), Taman Tanjung has a PBA meter for common use in common areas, which is about RM70 for 2 months which they have never defaulted. However, they have never used any drops of water in the apartment's cistern, but the PBA charged them additionally with the sum on the total meter list,” Dr Tan slammed the hefty charges as “illogic and unreasonable.”

Elaborating that "the MC, after receiving the water bill, has travelled to KOMTAR, Taman Selat, Perai PBA office many times to ask for an explanation. But they never obtained any answer, he observed the PBA as “unprofessional and irresponsible, whereby their work attitude needs to be improved."

Bringing attention to the age of the lack of mobility encountered by the affected persons, Dr Hong pointed out that “they are all elderly volunteers who cannot afford such pressure.” Meanwhile, he also expressed his disappointment with the Bagan Jermal assemblyman cum Penang Exco Lim Hock Seng. “The MC has asked for assistance many times and even have submitted a letter but there was no response at all."

He stressed, “Perbadanan Pengurusan Taman Tanjung cannot accept the application of Water Conservation Surcharge onto them because they have never used the water at all.”

Backing the residents, Dr Tan affirmed, “I support the residents' demand to dismantle the total water meter of the apartment cistern because the state government should provide the water to the apartment residents. The management and maintenance of the cistern, and the water pipe should be the responsibility of the state government."

"With the unknown water charges, the MC could not get any answer from the PBA. Hence, they once thought it was a ruptured pipeline. Then they replaced it with new water pipes. However, the water bills are still high now. They have spent RM16,500 to replace the water pipes to each household and this is a waste," Dr Tan fumed.

 

Emphasising once again that the Perbadanan Pengurusan Taman Tanjung are all elderly volunteers, he alerted that “this (steep water charge) has created further mental suffering on them since they received the indictment letter dated 27 November 2017.”

"This is a serious PBA policy blunder by the Penang state government,” Dr Tan chastised before urging the Penang Chief Minister cum PBA chairman YAB Lim Guan Eng to correct this situation immediately, “rescind the lawsuit against the residents, and cancel the unreasonable water charges."

Dr Tan Chuan Hong
MCA Penang State Organising Secretary
MCA Bagan Division Secretary

 

-MCA online-