KUALA LUMPUR: Ten blocks of the Sri Kuching four-storey flats in Jalan Kuching, which used to be living quarters for armed forces personnel, have now become a den for drug addicts and unsavoury characters, causing local residents to worry.
More than 2,000 residents of the Jalan Kuching Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) Public Housing living next to the flats are having sleepless nights because of crimes like motorcycle thefts which occur frequently, as well as the presence of drug addicts in the area.
Chairman of the Jalan Kuching PKNS Public Housing Residents’ Association, Gulam Muszaffar Gulam Mustakim said the situation has been going on for more than 10 years since the quarters were vacated in 2008 when the occupants were moved to the Wardieburn Camp in Setapak.
“Since the flats were vacated, the area has been a den for drug addicts and the premises have been broken into, the wiring ripped off, aluminium sinks and other items stolen.
“In fact, even the aluminium holding which was put up to separate our homes from those flats were stolen to be sold to the scrap metal shops,” he told Bernama.
“We have met with the authorities such as the Defence Ministry, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and PKNS, and were promise that the matter would be resolved, but this was not the case.
“In fact, we have lodged police reports, yet the situation remains the same. Residents here are sick of looking at the drug addicts and the other unsavoury characters.”
Meanwhile, director of City Hall’s Department of Community Development and Urban Wellbeing, Anwar Mohd Zain said the area was not under City Hall as it was owned by the Defence Ministry.
“We will investigate if we receive a complaint, but so far, there has been no complaints,” he added. - Bernama
