KUALA LUMPUR: Joint management bodies and residents’ associations of private low-cost housing have been urged to apply for financial aid from the newly launched 1Malaysia Maintenance Fund.

Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the fund was aimed at developing a more responsible community of residents of private low-cost flats.

“We want the residents to be more responsible for their property, including the common areas and facilities. To achieve that, we are working on giving more bite to the commissioner of buildings (COB) for Kuala Lumpur, in this case the mayor, to act against errant flat owners who refuse to pay maintenance fees.

“We have identified flats in several areas in Kuala Lumpur in need of assistance, but we can’t be the one going around offering funds. Instead, the residents, through their joint-management bodies, should apply and state their case.

“The fund, however, is only meant for the maintenance of common areas including lifts and paint for the buildings, and not for individual units.

“We are drawing up the guidelines on the disbursement of the fund and they should be ready by next month. We also urge companies, especially developers, to contribute to the fund as we have only managed to raise RM3 million from them (companies) so far.”

Raja Nong Chik was speaking at the launch of Wangsa Walk Mall, a lifestyle shopping mall in Jalan Wangsa Perdana 1. The mall’s developer, MSL Properties Sdn Bhd, with MCL Land as a major shareholder, had contributed an undisclosed sum to the fund.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the fund on Monday to finance the maintenance of the federal capital’s low-cost homes, expecially flats, built by the private sector.

Najib announced that the federal government had allocated RM20 million for the fund, the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry RM5 million, City Hall RM10 million and the private sector RM2.6 million as the start-up for the fund.

However, he added that the allocation for the maintenance of the low-cost housing would be made with a matching grant from the government to the funds raised by the joint management bodies or management corporations of the housing schemes.

“With this, the responsibility is jointly shouldered by the residents and government. If the residents contribute, they will play a role in ensuring the proper maintenance of the low-cost houses or flats,” he had said.

The prime minister said if the financial assistance were given free, the residents would take it for granted and the maintenance efforts would not be sustained.

The committee members managing the fund comprised officers from the ministry, City Hall and the FT Foundation.

On criticism from several parties who had questioned the efficiency of the fund, Raja Nong Chik urged them to come up with suggestions rather than mere criticism of the government’s effort to help the urban poor.

“We welcome criticism but not without constructive suggestions including how the fund should be managed and channelled,” he said.

In his speech, Raja Nong Chik praised the mall for providing a leisure and activity centre for shoppers including a 400m jogging track and a landscaped playground.

“As part of its corporate social responsibility, the developer has provided an avenue for family activities apart from being just a place to shop.”

The RM70 million mall received a certificate from the Malaysia Book of Records for the simultaneous opening of 99 shops in a day.

Source: NST