JOHOR BAHRU: Pulai Member of Parliament Suhaizan Kayat has formally requested a RM2 million additional budget allocation from the Prime Minister's Office to address urgent infrastructure issues in his constituency.
The funds are earmarked for the repair of a broken underground pipe at the Lily & Jasmine Apartments in Taman Tampoi Indah.
The pipe, which has been leaking since 2018 due to extensive wear and tear, has caused substantial water wastage. This leakage has resulted in monthly water bills exceeding RM30,000, which is owed to SAJ-Ranhill.
The apartment's management has failed to settle the bill and currently owes SAJ more than RM1.4 million in outstanding water bills.
The request, aimed at securing supplementary funds to alleviate the financial strain, was officially submitted through the Prime Minister's senior political secretary, Datuk Seri Shamsul Mat Akin.
"We need to resolve this issue once and for all. I have made a formal request for an additional budget of RM2 million for the Pulai constituency and submitted it to the Prime Minister's Office.
"The repair costs for the underground pipe are estimated at RM2 million," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
He added that water disruptions at the apartments are a recurring issue each month.
In June, the residents were left stranded for two days after water supply to the apartment was cut off.
However, Suhaizan stepped in and paid RM10,000 towards the accumulated water bills from past years to reconnect the supply.
Meanwhile, the 2,000 residents continue to endure frequent water supply disruptions due to the management's inability to settle the outstanding water bill of RM1.4 million owed.
Resident K. Thanalatchumy, 40, said they understand the situation but are frustrated because the apartment management is not working together to find a permanent solution.
"They keep claiming that only 30 per cent of the 480 apartment units' residents paid their maintenance fees, which is the root of the problem with the outstanding water bill," she said when contacted yesterday.
Efforts by the New Straits Times to contact the apartment management were unsuccessful.