IPOH: Talks to redevelop the 48-year-old Waller Court flats, which began in the 1990s, seem to be going at a snail’s pace.
Local leaders insist that any plans to upgrade the place, which is one the oldest low-cost flats here, must be done in consultation with its residents.
Ipoh Barat MCA division chief Datuk Tan Chin Meng said the Ipoh City Council should listen to the people and take heed of their views and concerns.
Time for a touch up?: Two residents talking outside the Waller Court flats, which was built 48 years ago.“All three parties involved – the residents, the council and the state government – must sit down and talk things through before anything is decided upon.
“In any case, all three parties must agree to redevelop Waller Court,” Tan said at a family event organised by the Ipoh Barat Wanita MCA division at the flat here yesterday.
Tan said the residents must first form a committee if they wanted to get their views across to the council and state government.
“They should get the help of their Rukun Tetangga to set up the committee while I will try my best to help by meeting the Ipoh mayor on this,” he added.
It was recently reported that the council was mulling the idea again of redeveloping the 48-year-old Waller Court.
The 532-unit Waller Court owned by the council is currently tenanted by 465 families.
“In fact, the flat is very old and a lot of money is spent on maintenance but only superficial improvements can be carried out.
“It is not that easy to renovate,” Tan said.
He noted that besides consulting the residents, the council must also be able to guarantee them a place to move back in following the redevelopment exercise.
“The residents must have the assurance that they get to stay on at the present location, not elsewhere,” he said.
Tan related that a similar suggestion to redevelop Waller Court in the 1990s was shot down by residents as it had required them to be relocated to Lahat.
“These people have been staying here all their lives. Most of them also work here.
“They are very used to living in the city centre and it is unfair to make them move away,” he said, adding that the already dull city centre would go dead with the departure of the flat residents.
Tan, who is also Perak MCA secretary, suggested a scheme to allow current residents to own the units after the flat was redeveloped.
“Like what was previously proposed by then Mentri Besar Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, why not convert the residents’ past rental payments into a form of down payment whereas those who do not want to purchase the units be given the freedom to continue renting?” he asked.
The "big" three had better come to terms with trying to re-develop the Waller Court Council Flats.
ReplyDeleteThe residents of the neighbourhood should also be included as it affects them directly, not just the council who appear to have their "own" interest.
Any development there has to be done with the utmost of sensitivity as there are a couple of major schools nearby. The environment comes next becasue it is located next to the Sg. Kinta and Taman Dr. Seenivasagam.
Of course, I expect none of the above will ever be considered in physical terms only on paper promises, which is now commonly expected in developments, private or public.
I forgot to add "TRANSPARENCY" or else it will go the way of Greentown 2.
It may still happen.