Johor considers redeveloping 40-year-old Tuta low-cost flats

 

The Johor government said it would cost RM26.3 million to resolve all maintenance issues and redevelop the 44-block flats. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Johor government is considering whether to redevelop the four-decade-old Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (Tuta) low-cost flats here.

State housing and local government committee chairman Jafni Shukor said this may be cheaper than continuing to spend money maintaining these old blocks.

He said these blocks were plagued by various problems, Bernama reported.

It would cost an estimated RM26.3 million to resolve all maintenance issues and redevelop the 44-block flats.

Jafni Shukor.

“For example, for one block alone we need to spend over RM1.8 million for the 72 housing units.

“So, each unit would cost RM25,000 — the cost is like building a new home.

“The second choice we have is to rejuvenate the area. We demolish some flats and build new ones.

“If they are redeveloped, they can last for the next 40 years,” he said after attending the Johor Bersih plogging activity at the flats today.

He said it would cost RM1.8 million for maintaining just one block but there was likely to still be leaks in terms of piping and so on.

Jafni said the state government will carry out a pilot project to maintain one block of flats, that is Block 16, which has the worst issues affecting the roof and ceiling, wiring and drainage.

This pilot project, under the Iskandar Puteri City Council’s corporate social responsibility programme, involves 72 units in the block.

“This pilot project will commence in October and will be completed by the end of this year.

“When completed, we will study whether it was worth spending so much money or not,” he said.

Jafni said the federal government was expected to provide special allocations to maintain public flats that are more than 40 years old.

He said this was necessary as 70% of management corporations in public flats had trouble collecting maintenance charges. - FMT