Family’s bid for answers hit a wall as grandpa lies in coma after fall

 

Son-in-law Brian Ruban pointing to where John Joseph Samikanoo fell at the PKNS apartment building at SS8, Kelana Jaya, on March 13.

PETALING JAYA: A family seeking to find out who is responsible for maintaining an apartment building has hit a stumbling block despite a grandfather lying in a coma for nearly six weeks following a fall down the stairs.

John Joseph Samikanoo, 67, has been unconscious since his fall at the PKNS apartment building in SS8, Kelana Jaya, on March 13 after he was forced to walk up to his 10th floor unit as all three lifts were out of order.

Found next to him was a rusty stair railing, which police suspect might have given way when John used it to support himself during the incident at his apartment block, one of two built there by PKNS in 1984.

His family, who complained that the lifts and staircase had been poorly maintained, claimed that the building’s management corporation (MC) had been unwilling to accept any responsibility.

John Joseph Samikano.

They said that following the silence of the authorities on their plight, their lawyer will now write to several parties to find who should be held liable for the incident, which could potentially leave John bedridden for the rest of his life.

“There are so many question marks over the maintenance of PKNS apartments in the state, which are in a deplorable condition,” the family’s lawyer, Rajesh Nagarajan, told FMT.

In addition to PKNS, he said, they will write to the commissioner of buildings, the management corporation and the company which appointed the corporation to manage the property.

PKNS, however, said it handed over management of the two apartment blocks to the MC, a body made up of elected residents, on Dec 16, 2017.

“Those apartments are now totally managed by the MC,” said a spokesman.

John’s son-in-law, Brian Ruban, claimed that none of the MC’s representatives were present at a meeting that had been scheduled last Friday.

Residents had complained that the three lifts at the apartment block had frequently broken down. When FMT visited early this month, only one of the lifts was working.

The railing found next to John Joseph Samikanoo after his fall. Police believe the railing gave way.

FMT also sighted a letter sent by Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis to a member of the PKNS SS8 Apartments Residents Association dated March 10, 2020, which acknowledged that an investigation four days earlier had found that the apartments’ lifts did not comply with fire safety requirements.

The association’s chairman, Paul Chow, told FMT the lifts’ certificate of fitness expired on Dec 17, 2020, and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) sealed off all six lifts at both blocks three months later, after which John had the fall.

“This (incident) is saddening and we take it seriously,” Chow said

“We have been fighting since 2016 to ensure good governance in the apartments’ management and that they (MC) comply with all the standard bylaws and regulations.”

The apartment block at SS8, Kelana Jaya, is one of two built by PKNS in the area.

Commenting on a notice posted next to the ground floor lifts stating that the MC was trying to obtain funds from the housing and local government ministry (KPKT) to fix the lifts’ ropes, Chow questioned why this was even necessary.

“We are a medium-cost apartment and should not have to depend on donations from KPKT to make sure we have working lifts,” he said.

“What happened to all the money from the residents’ maintenance fees? Where are the audited financial statements?” he asked, adding that the authorities should investigate. - FMT