Unit owner agrees to powwow on smoky issue

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Seeking solutions: Krishnamoorthy (right) speaking at the press conference. With him are Choong and her mother Chew.

THE owner of the flue in one of the Desa Green flats on Jalan Van Praagh has asked for a week’s time to talk about the flue as smoke from it is allegedly affecting a family there.

Penang MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau deputy chief Lim Thoon Deong said he managed to contact the owner who had refused to take down the flue after several attempts.

“I persuaded him to have a face to face discussion with the management committee and the affected family.

“The owner asked for a week’s time to which all parties agreed,” said Lim at a press conference yesterday.

However, Lim said that he was disappointed with the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) from the Penang Municipal Council for his alleged inaction on the matter.

Desa Green management committee chairman M. Krishnamoorthy, 47, who was also present at the press conference, said the family had shown him a doctor’s letter indicating they are suffering from skin reaction due to the smoke.

On Aug 27, The Star reported that Lim had contacted MPPP about the issue and was told the council ‘would look into it’ and ‘refer to higher authority’.

Also present at the press conference were members of the affected family, Choong Kluan Bee, 48, and her mother Chew Geok Wah, 70.

“We hope the owner would at least ensure the smoke from the flue would be discharged safely or install a filter.

“Due to the smoke, we don’t even dare to hang our clothes to dry along the corridor,” said Choong, whose unit is directly above the flue.

In an immediate response, COB Zakariya Nayan said the main duty of his office, which is under the council’s Valuation and Property Management Department, is to ensure the management committee functions properly.

“We also act as a middleman in case of dispute between the committee and its residents,” he said.

Zakaria said if the committee insisted on removing the flue, it might have legal implications as the owner had written permission from the previous management committee.

“The parties involved will have to talk it out and resolve amicably,” he said.