Trouble brewing in Brickfields condo over Covid-19 SOP

Elill Easwaran Elill Easwaran Updated 3 years ago · Published on 9 Jan 2021 1:12PM · 5 Comments

More than 70% of the residents living in Scott Sentral condominiums in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, are tenants. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 9, 2021.

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.

Association chairman Chandra Ramprakash says tenants must stop treating Scott Sentral condominium like a hotel and respect the Covid-19 SOP. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 9, 2021.

“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”.

Managing agent John Sebastian says anyone unhappy with the condominium’s rules is free to move elsewhere. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 9, 2021.

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.

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Comments

  • Just ship them out back to India. They are not our citizens and if they cant respect our laws they should be arrested and their working visas reviked. The government should step in and make an example of them like in Singapore and then this rowdy behaviour will stop

    Posted 3 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

    • Yes like Singapore, but Malaysia is ranked so lowly below even 3rd world countries like Vietnam, Thailand etc in terms of corruption, crime rates, cheating cases, public safety, economy, infrastructure, healthcare and many more. Why not you try to take that into account and make it comparable to Singapore? Hypocrites? Yes, that's one of the qualities along with racial bigotry. Malaysian Indians are treated like 3 rd class citizens. Don't try to preach before cleaning your own backyard. Having said that, i support closure of all the facilities and that the owners contribute their share by reducing the rentals. After that strict action should be taken against violations including evicting them from the premises.

      Posted 3 years ago by Subhash patil · Reply

    • Slaves who came here from India in 1930s to Malaysia should not preach what should be done, the editor who covered this story must be a dickhead who is reporting a biased news and supporting locals! Irony is that the Malaysian government itself is in complete chaos and you expect them to set an example like Singapore, I think you must be high, stop taking weeds in the weekend. Micheal, I will give you a piece of advice, stop being a racist, stop being lazy ass and start respecting humans. I understand your frustration that being a minority group in Malaysia you will have these contemplation.

      Now lets talk about the CMCO which was imposed by the government couple of months ago.
      It is the biggest joke that I have ever seen in 2020, it was business as usual and everyone was just wandering around especially the locals, at least the expatriates had the pleasure of working from home and yet these drunk hobbits blaming expats? I know how racists the Malaysian Indians (Not everyone) are in this Condo! Many of my friends had already moved to better condominiums from this 15 years old damaged building.

      The condominium's elevators won't function properly and not sanitized properly, the gyms equipment are rusted? WTF, the management is doing about it? I think the government must inspect this building and assure the people living there are safe. The condominiums located just beside this never had such restrictions, despite the fact having positive cases reported, having dumb restriction in the condo won't contaminate the spread of Covid19. SOP must be followed every individual in the condo, not just by expats.

      FYI, if they are all packed moved to India, the Condominium will run into bankruptcy, does it makes sense and many Chinese owners really hate the local residents. Please stop being an arrogant asshole, educate your next generation at least and stop depending on expats for everything!

      The whole country's IT infrastructure is managed by them somehow indirectly, how long do you want this to continue? Don't worry, I think many expatriates will move away very soon and then you will wake up from your cozy dreams!!

      Posted 3 years ago by Moscow Snows · Reply

  • Revoke their visas and send them home!

    Posted 3 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Why no police reports were made???

    Posted 3 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply