By: Elan Perumal

The shoplots are rotting away after being abandoned for many years.

SEVERAL blocks of shophouses at Taman Sentosa in Klang are in a deplorable condition after the properties were abandoned by their owners.

About 300 out of the 900 units at the area are occupied, making it look very unattractive and dilapidated.

The shophouses on the first, second and third floors at Jalan Hulubalang 26 are deteriorating and appear to be beyond repair.

Residents, especially occupants from the affected blocks, are suffering as a result of the neglected condition of the abandoned lots.

A check by StarMetro found that more than half of some 900 units of the four-storey shophouses from four blocks were abandoned by their owners because of the high crime rate.

An abandoned premises is being used as a store by one of the residents.

The units, which were built 15 years ago, have shoplots on the ground floor and apartments on the top floors.

The area around the shoplots are filled with debris. Almost all the roofs of the abandoned units had been ripped apart and the windows were also missing.

Many of the premises were without doors at the entrance, bedrooms and washrooms while others were severely damaged.

The toilet bowls, washing basins and taps at the premises were also missing.

Old furniture, household items and wastes placed in garbage bags were dumped in the area, contributing to the stench.

About 20 shops were still operating in the area, including a sundry shop and a restaurant.

According to the residents, most of the residential units and half the shoplots were occupied several years ago, however, the situation changed after some years.

The unpleasant living conditions forced more and more of the occupants to vacate their units.

Most of the occupied houses had dogs to protect the premise from being targeted by thieves.

Ahmad Ibrahim, 51, who lives on the first floor said the exodus was caused by a series of break-ins, snatch-thefts and vehicle thefts.

As the situation went from bad to worse, he said more occupants who were renting the units moved out.

“The thieves took advantage of the situation by breaking into the vacant homes and stealing the glass windows, metal bars, wires, pipes and roof tiles.

“They also use the vacant homes as their base to target the occupied homes and this really got the residents riled up’’ he said, adding that thieves also targeted the area to steal cars and motorcycles.

R. Murugan, 52, who has been living with his family in the area for 15 years, said the place was now a haunt for drug addicts and peddlers.

Murugan showing the deplorable condition of an abandoned unit at the fourth floor of the block where he lives. — K.K. SHAM & ELAN PERUMAL/ The Star

“We live in fear of losing our vehicles and are often the target of snatch thieves and robbers.

“Most of the residents do not go out of their homes during the evening and we have been living in fear for the last few years,’’ he said.

Murugan said the area used to be a nice residential and commercial centre during the early years.

The father of three said he regretted buying the apartment unit as he realised that the authorities were not doing enough to improve the safety and cleanliness.

“We are not only living in fear for our safety but under a lot of hardship because of the high number of abandoned lots on the higher floors.

“Rainwater often seeps into our homes through the abandoned units on the top floor where some of the roof tiles have gone missing,’’ said Murugan.

Another resident, S. Aminah Letchumy, 60, who lives on the second floor said the abandoned lots had attracted rodents into her unit.

An electrical box ripped off by thieves.

She said the area was no longer conducive for living as the rats were a nuisance to the residents.

“The stench from the abandoned premises is also unbearable,’’ she added.

A spokesman for the developer Ablelink Property (M) Sdn Bhd said there was nothing the company could do about the status of the abandoned properties.

As a developer, she said, the company had handed over all the properties to the respective owners.

“We have no say over the condition of the premises because the properties do not belong to us,’’ she said.

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