KUALA LUMPUR: Residents of Desa Rejang Public Housing Block D are urging authorities to intervene after enduring 16 days without functioning lifts, forcing them to navigate the stairs of the 18-storey building.
The situation, which began earlier this month, has severely impacted families, elderly residents, and those with disabilities.
Rohaya Ali, a sexagenarian food stall operator, believes the stress from the lift outage contributed to her recent stroke.
"I suffered a stroke on the second day the lifts stopped working. My husband and I have been climbing the stairs daily, step by step. It's exhausting," she said.
Rohaya, who starts her day at 3am to buy supplies for her stall near Wisma FGV, Jalan Raja Laut, said the physical strain had also affected her livelihood.
"Before this, I could prepare and sell more items. Now, my condition and the broken lifts have reduced my output," she said, adding that she had lived in Desa Rejang for over a decade after relocating from the Pekeliling Flats.
Another resident, 36-year-old Dasuki Zulkiflee, lives on the 18th floor with his asthmatic wife and three young children.
The lift outage has forced him to shoulder additional burdens.
"My wife has critical asthma, so climbing the stairs is impossible for her. I've had to carry her at times," he said.
Dasuki described how the situation has disrupted his family's routine.
"Every morning, I take my kids down to school and, in the evening, they wait in the car until I finish work because my wife can't come downstairs. Food deliveries also refuse to come up, so I have to collect the orders, often with my kids in tow," he added.
Financial constraints have made moving out an unviable option for Dasuki.
"If I were wealthy, I'd stay in a hotel while the lifts are fixed. But we have no choice but to endure this," he said.
Residents are calling for urgent action from the authorities to resolve the issue.
The New Straits Times has reached out to city mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif for comments on the matter.