By: Aida Aziz
IPOH: IPOH: Amidst the hustle and bustle of promoting Visit Perak 2024, the condition of the Waller Court Apartment located in the heart of Ipoh City is an eyesore and disfigures the city of Ipoh.
Moreover, if viewed from the main road, some think this building has no occupants or is abandoned due to its damaged, filthy condition with too many bushes in front.
A recent survey of the over 60-year-old apartment complex found the building’s paint faded, and some units were damaged and left in a state of toral disrepair.
Various suggestions have been put forward, and it’s understood that public town hall sessions for the redevelopment of the apartment complex have been held in the past, yet there has been no change.
According to a senior male resident who is a tenant there, Waller Court is now predominantly occupied by the elderly. He also claims that multiple flats have suffered damages, but no action has been taken despite complaints being lodged with the authorities.
“The issue here has been lingering for a long time. The relevant political parties come and go, but no changes are made even though they’ve repeatedly promised to upgrade.
“There are many cracked and uninhabitable units here. I’ve been living here since 1972, and unfortunately, the condition of this apartment complex remains the same,” said the unnamed resident.
He also doesn’t deny the concerns about safety risks in the area, although he maintains that it’s still under control for now.
Furthermore, the operations room of the Waller Court Apartments Residents’ Association (KRT) on the ground floor has reportedly been non-functional for a long time.
“In terms of maintenance, if there’s a problem or damage, it takes a long time to get fixed,” he added.
It’s understood that the rental rates payable to the Ipoh City Council (MBI) for tenants in the complex are RM127 (2 bedrooms), RM102 (1 bedroom), and RM67 for studio.
Meanwhile, another resident known as Maznah, aged 56, regards the promises to redevelop Waller Court as mere words.
She also calls on MBI or the state government to take the residents’ issues seriously, including addressing the restoration of the apartment complex.
“Previously, they promised to redevelop this place. If possible, we want the authorities to be serious about fulfilling their promises. It’s safe to say that the promises remain just promises and empty words.
“If there’s damage to the houses, we fix it ourselves. If we call MBI, they do come, but the response is quite slow,” said the resident who has been living there for over 14 years.
