Taman Desaria — a cesspool of squalor, neglect, fear

 Life for the 4,000 residents of the tiny enclave is a stark contrast to that of their next-door neighbours in upmarket residential and commercial centre Sunway City.

The dilapidated condition of the apartment blocks in Taman Desaria has made it a haunt for pests, as well as a playground for criminals.

PETALING JAYA:

 Just a stone’s throw away from the glitter and bustle of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur lies Taman Desaria, a forgotten enclave with more than 4,000 residents trapped in squalor, neglect, and fear.

They may just be next-door neighbours but the residents of Sunway City and those in Taman Desaria might as well be a world apart.

Sunway City is a multi-billion ringgit commercial and residential development with world-class hotels, luxury malls and first-class hospitality that attract more than 40 million visitors annually.

In contrast Taman Desaria is a collection of six blocks of ageing five-storey apartments epitomised by stench, disease, and criminal activity.

Abandoned units in Taman Desaria are now home to cobras.

Apart from having to put up with uncollected rubbish and blocked sewage pipes that have caused a backflow into their kitchens and living spaces, the 4,000 residents—mostly lorry drivers, factory workers and labourers—also share their quarters with snakes and rats.

“We have reported the matter (to the authorities) countless times. Our children are falling ill but nobody cares,” the Taman Desaria residents association president, C Thevaraj, 42, told FMT.

The overpowering stench of human waste assaults every visitor while pools of stagnant water lead to mosquito infestation, with between eight and 10 new cases of dengue reported every month.

Skin diseases, stomach infections and respiratory problems have become all too common, while the looming threat of cholera casts a long shadow over daily life.

Decrepit and dangerous

Grime has made the stairs slippery, posing a danger to residents.

The fetid caused by the broken sewage system is not the only failure in maintenance. Filth and grime have made the staircases slippery and dangerous.

Rubbish collection is sporadic at best. Bulky wastes such as broken furniture, and discarded mattresses piled up in corners have become haunts for rats and cockroaches while the dark interiors of abandoned units are now homes to venomous snakes, mostly cobras.

Bulky wastes such as broken furniture and mattresses remain uncollected.

“Snakes are a common sight. Imagine little children moving around the corridors of abandoned units,” Thevaraj observed.

Adding to the physical decay is a social crisis. Drug cartels exploit the poverty and neglect, recruiting youngsters, some barely 13 years old, as drug mules.

A local resident said gangs, known in the area as “cobras”, patrol the streets, silencing residents through fear.

“You will not find any report of drug abuse at the nearby Sungai Way police station,” the resident said. The view is that the fear of retaliation is keeping the residents from reporting any criminal activity, thereby perpetuating the silence and impunity.

Neglected and forgotten

Despite numerous appeals for action, the plight of the Taman Desaria residents remains unresolved.

The residents said that over 18 months ago, a complaint led to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) requesting for essential building plans from the Commissioner of Buildings with a view to initiating urgent repairs. However, there has been no development.

The post boxes in the Taman Desaria apartments are now unusable.

KDEB Waste Management and Indah Water Consortium say that anything that happens inside the flats are out of their jurisdiction, while the housing and local government ministry remains silent.

The residents attribute the lack of interest shown by key stakeholders, such as the local MP and state assemblyman, MBPJ, the ministry, utility providers and law enforcement authorities to address their problems to political apathy, fragmented responsibilities, and a failure to see the needs of marginalised communities.

In the meantime, the residents continue to suffer. - FMT