Klang MP Charles Santiago denies RM1.5mil missing

KLANG member of parliament Charles Santiago has refuted claims that RM1.5 million in a lift repair allocation from the Selangor  government has gone missing.

He said the state government had  allocated only RM600,000 in 2010 to fix the faulty lifts at Pangsapuri Permai Indah and that the repair  had been completed. However, he said,  the lifts broke down frequently because of  sabotage.

On Sunday, Malaysian Indian Welfare Association president A. Prakash and 19 residents of the apartment had lodged a police report at the Pandamaran police station to ask the police to investigate the RM1.5 million allocation and stolen lift-repair equipment.

Prakash said the PKR-led state government had neglected the plight of more than 2,000 residents living in 524 apartment units at Pangsapuri Permai Indah, who risked their lives  using poorly maintained elevators.

He demanded Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim  take  responsibility to investigate and resolve the matter in three days, failing which,  Khalid should resign.

Prakash said the apartment had eight lifts, two at each block, but only one  was  working at each block and they were often out of order.

Santiago, when contacted, acknowledged that faulty lifts had been a long-standing problem at the flats. He said the problem could not be solved without the joint management body's (JMB) cooperation.

"The wires of the lift, which are located on the roof of the lift cabin, were clipped off. I gave  funds to repair them  four  or five times, but the wires were cut off within weeks of being fixed.

"The JMB must take responsibility and conduct surveillance to prevent sabotage. The JMB must be replaced with a new one."

NST