Taman Alam Jaya Residents Association chairman Dr B. R. Anthonysamy (right) and Ho (second from right) speaking with Chandrabalan (left) about the condition of the abandoned house. — Photos: ROHAIZAT MD DARUS/The Star.

IT HAS been two decades since S. Chandrabalan and his family have had to live beside an abandoned house.

The house along Jalan Koop Cuepacs 4E in Kajang is missing its gates, has overgrown grass and the front doors are open to just about anyone to walk in and out.

Inside the old and dusty house, dirty clothes hang in the living area, and leftover food and cushions are on the floor, which are telltale signs of someone living there.

Chandrabalan said he had seen foreigners enterting the house while his neighbours had spotted people going into and leaving it from the back door.

“I called the police once but they were not able to catch anyone,” he said.

The living area of the abandoned house is littered with food packages, water bottles and clothes.

Chandrabalan said he was not sure what had happened to the owner, only that they had moved away and used to come over to clean up, but have not returned in years.

“I used to cut the grass but I cannot be doing that all the time.”

He said he and his daughter were down with dengue last year and suspected the house to be a breeding ground for Aedes mosquito.

Taman Cuepacs Bersatu chairman Philip Ho said Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) should help clean up the house but had not done that.

Instead, the council only told residents that they were unable to find the owner, he added.

MPKj councillor Young Syefura Othman said the council had not been able to locate the houseowner as the owner’s contact details were not updated.

She said the council had cleaned up the house last year and planned to hold a gotong-royong with residents at the abandoned house.