BY ELAN PERUMAL

An abandoned government building that is an eyesore in Port Klang. – filepic

LEGAL action will be taken against owners of abandoned properties in Klang for not paying their compound fines.

The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) will file a caveat on their properties under the National Land Code 1965.

MPK president Datuk Mohd Yasid Bidin said they had no other option but to come down hard on owners of abandoned properties and land.

Yasid said owners would first be served compound notices for causing disorder to their neighbours by not keeping their areas clean.

If they ignore repeated notices, he said, the cleaning would be carried out by the council’s contractors and the owners would be billed for the service.

“We also plan to publish the names of errant property owners in newspapers to reach out to them.

“The council would resort to filing a caveat on their property if they continue to ignore us,” he said

Yasid added the number of complaints on abandoned properties had risen.

“We received 700 reports from residents on the presence of abandoned houses, buildings and vacant land in the last two years.”

Residents complained the premises were an eyesore in their neighbourhood and attracted mosquitoes, cockroaches, rats and snakes.

“They also expressed concern that drug addicts are using these places and they could become a fire hazard too,” he said.

On Sept 13, StarMetro reported on the presence of numerous abandoned buildings in Port Klang, especially former government quarters. Many of them are located along Jalan Pelabuhan Selatan and Jalan Sungai Aur.

Yasid said the presence of too many abandoned properties also created a negative image of these areas.

“Owners said these buildings will bring down the value of their properties,” he said.