Story by SHALINI RAVINDRAN
WHAT was named after a fictional paradise has now become a rundown block of apartments in the heart of Taman Seri Cheras in Kuala Lumpur.
The 25-year-old Shangrila Apartments in Jalan Seri Cheras 6 have become an eyesore, with missing staircase railings, damaged roofs and abandoned units.
In ruins: The horrible condition of one of the abandoned units at Shangrila Apartments in Taman Seri Cheras.
“For the past 20 years, there was no JMB or management corporation to do any maintenance or repair works. Since then, the three blocks of apartments have been neglected.
“Drug addicts used to break into the unoccupied units to live there.
“They also stole the metal railings to sell as scrap metal and damaged the roofs which now leaks when it rains.
“Once the JMB was formed in February this year, we managed to remove the drug addicts with the help of the police, but the units remain derelict,” Nagappan said, adding that there were 30 such units.
Resident Suresh Letchiman, 44, said the five-storey apartment buildings used to have lifts but they were removed more than 10 years ago.
“The stairs are now our only way to get to our homes and even that is dangerous. Although there have been some improvements since the JMB was set up, especially cleanliness, there are still a number of issues yet to be addressed,” said Nagappan, who has lived there since 1997.
During a site visit on Wednesday, Balakong assemblyman Eddie Ng donated RM5,500 to the JMB to fix the staircase railings.
On the issue of the damaged roofs, Ng advised the JMB to apply for the state government’s Skim Ceria fund.
Under the scheme, the state provides 80% of the amount required to refurbish shared facilities in low- and medium-cost flats while 20% was borne by the JMBs.
He added that, after numerous requests during state assembly meetings, the state had agreed to bear the costs for road repairs within apartment compounds.
“I urge all JMBs and management corporations to write a request through their assemblymen to apply,” he said.
