Reps appointed to sort out apartment’s accounts

TWO Penang state assemblymen are believed to be among the first elected representatives to be appointed as managing agents for a high-rise property in Penang.

Also appointed by the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) of the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) was a chartered accountant.

The trio — Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik, Paya Terubong assemblyman Yeoh Soon Hin and chartered accountant Ong Lin Teong — were appointed by COB president Patahiyah Ismail on Monday to manage the accounts and expenses of the Green Garden apartment in Paya Terubong.

Ng said the appointment was legal under Section 25 (1)(b) Building and Common Property (Mainte-nance and Management) Act 2007 where the council can appoint one or more individuals to be a managing agent should the council observe that the developer or the joint management bodies (JMB) are under-performing.

He said that there is no clause which prohibits assemblyman from becoming a managing agent.

Ng added that they would represent COB to manage the Green Garden after its JMB failed to perform since they were elected on Nov 7 last year.

“The Komtar and Paya Terubong service teams will set up a booth to collect maintenance fees every Wednesday and Sunday from 8pm to 10pm,” he told a press conference at Komtar.

Ng said that they would stand-in on behalf of the COB for a period of six months until May 20 next year and he hoped that the financial status of the property could be stabilised by then.

“We hope that within six months, we would be able to settle the problems faced by the residents there. If there is a need, we are willing to extend our tenure.”

Green Garden residents are facing a debt of RM354,781.85 after the project developer was declared bankrupt by the court on March 4 last year.

Ng said COB had also obtained consent from the public prosecutor office to charge the property manager, under Section 20 (1) Building and Common Property (Maintenance and Management) Act 2007, for collecting maintenance fees despite the developer having gone bust.

“The property manager should not operate unless they obtain approval from the Malaysian Insolvency Department.”

Yeoh said they had been appointed because the maintenance condition at Green Garden was critical, adding that he believed they were the first assemblymen to be accorded such a responsibility.

However he said that this concept should not be a practice for other high-rise flats or apartments.

Ng said a total of RM87,195 was collected from about 600 residents on Nov 16, 17 and 20 .

The two-blocks of Green Garden apartment on Jalan Paya Terubong consist of 2,255 units. - The Star