The Bukit Gasing assemblyman said the government’s lack of concern and attention to this problem had resulted in low-cost house owners living in slum-like environments.

In welcoming the recent announcement by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob that the government would provide new lifts to 67 low-cost and public housing buildings, Rajiv said this highlighted the structural problems in low-cost housing maintenance services.

The residents, he said, could have a decent standard of living and be able to maintain their dignity if the government were to take over the maintenance of low-cost houses.

It could do this by calling for open tenders to hire maintenance companies and ensure they were held accountable for the services they provided, he suggested.

He said if the government was responsible for cleaning the streets and maintaining water pipes and playgrounds for landed property owners, it was only fair that it also took care of the basic needs of low-cost housing dwellers.

Rajiv said residents of low-cost homes were mostly low income earners who would likely find it difficult to pay monthly maintenance fees, especially during the current economic situation.

“It is often a chicken-and-egg situation, where those who can afford to pay maintenance do not get the service they deserve and those who can’t or don’t pay still want services rendered to them.”

He said this resulted in management committees having difficulty in collecting fees and providing the necessary maintenance services.