The Malaysian Insight

EXPATRIATES residing in the Scott Sentral condominium in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, are ignoring the standard operating procedure implemented to curb Covid-19, said its residents’ association.

Association chairman Chandra Ramprakash said they must adhere to the laws of the land and follow the SOP after a few insisted on making use of all facilities in the compound.

Chandra said the expats fail to understand that these facilities could not be opened just yet following the government’s SOP.

“The expats are demanding the common facilities to be opened up and when we mention the conditional movement-control order (CMCO) ruling, they are disregarding it.

“Almost everyday, the expats tend to gather in a huge group where the number can be as big as 100 in a 3,000 sq feet area.

“The association believes that as expats, they should respect the local laws that are being implemented by the government.

“We have a five-star service in this condominium where we maintain the cleanliness and all but with this sort of culture from the tenants where they overdemand, thinking that this is a hotel, has to stop.

“We actually do not mind them using the gym, swimming pool and all, only one person at a time but they always come in a group which is something we can’t allow,” said Chandra during a dialogue session with the expats over the weekend.

The locals are supportive of closing the common facilities as a majority of them are elderly people, which put them in the high-risk category for infections, he said.

“I rather have these common facilities closed than being opened for people to gather as it puts me at a higher risk,” said a local tenant named Mohan, 53.

According to Chandra, the situation is also becoming hostile, with the expats resorting to vandalism.

However, the expats said the facilities are part of the privilege they enjoy as residents.

They said they pay their rents promptly and, as such, should be allowed to make use of the common facilities like swimming pool, gymnasium and the squash court.

“I am paying my monthly rental on time without fail, which is why I am demanding for the common facility to be operational,” said a tenant who only wants to be known as Akshant, 39.

Another tenant, who wants to only be known as Gaurav, 37, said landlords are not offering discounts, “which is why I have to make full use of the amount I am paying”.

There are about 700 residents in the condominium with about 500 being tenants, and a majority of these tenants are expats from India.

Managing agent John Sebastian, meanwhile, said the condominium has its own rules, and if the tenants are unhappy, they are free to move elsewhere.

“We as a management will try our best to manage these situations but due to circumstances, we have to be very drastic.

“The surrounding condominiums around here all have Covid-19 positive cases, which is why we are having strict SOP because we do not want the same to happen here.”

Landlord Viraj Dolhker, 40, said miscommunication between the parties is the cause of the standoff.

He added that everyone in the condominium complies with Covid-19 requirements.

“The tenants don’t seem to understand the association’s point of view, which is why we are here for this dialogue session,” said Viraj, who himself is an expat living in the place for 10 years. – January 9, 2021.