ON day two of the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) here at my residential area in Kota Kinabalu, I was reminded again that over 200 of my neighbours have been facing a safety risk for the last six months.
The landslide at the Country Heights Apartment in January has given them sleepless nights and brought about countless floods every time there’s a heavy downpour.
One of the residents, who wishes to be known only as Jeffrey, recalled the work they had to do clearing the mud and debris, as well as rising flood water on the ground floor of their apartment block.
“It will flood every time there is heavy rainfall. It has been six months already and nothing has been done,” he said after a visit from the local assemblyman’s office here yesterday.
“The management hasn’t done anything for the last six months,” he added.
The special officer to Moyog assemblyman and Penampang MP Datuk Darell Leiking was present, along with an officer from the Penampang District Council engineering office, who only identified himself as Jonathan.
Late yesterday afternoon, another flood struck the apartment block after a short, heavy downpour.
A management staff who was present said the delay on mitigation and repair works occurred because the contractor hired to do them did not receive its permit from the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti).
When pointed out that the lockdown was only enforced this month and the management has had five months to complete the repairs, the staff responded: “I am only the maintenance guy, and the guy in-charge is out in another residential area.”
He went on to talk about the “maintenance boss”, who goes by the name of Patrick, whom we decided to call.
According to Patrick, the delay was largely caused by the insurance claim, and the local insurance company had to get clearance for the claim from its “HQ in Kuala Lumpur”.
Then he continued talking about the problem with Miti and said that the appointed contractor is out of town. He said they are in the northernmost Sabah district of Kudat “doing some projects”.
“Once all the paperwork is done, then they will be on their way back to Kota Kinabalu for the repairs,” said Patrick.
When asked why the management can’t do the repairs first and claim later, Jonathan, who is attached to the district council engineering department, said “they cannot do that” for assessment reasons.
One can only conclude from the whole episode that paperwork matters but lives don’t.
But, Jonathan said he will begin drafting letters for the agencies to hasten the repairs while Pritchard Arthur Gumbaris (Penampang MP political secretary) called Sabah Miti over the permit.
An officer believed to be from Sabah Miti explained it is not the ministry that approves permits for contractors, but the Construction Industry Development Board.
He noted that Miti is only the coordinating agency assisting in the permit approvals, and if such an application was made, it would all be done online.
It makes me wonder whether there was any permit requested by the contractor or other parties.
The meeting ended thereafter with immediate repairs, although it was clear that the flooding occurred due to soil from the landslide having blocked the drain.
A few hours after that, the rain began to fall again.
Barbwire up, internet down
Country Heights Apartment is a residential apartment complex built on a slope near Bukit Padang, Kota Kinabalu.
There have been many issues with the residential apartment, including internet access, and although there are safety concerns, repairs are taking forever.
Down near the shop complex of the residential apartment area, security personnel are seen busy installing barbwire.
One of the officers looked in my direction when I took out my smartphone to take a photo of them putting up the wire.
I could not help it but wonder why the security personnel only installed the barbwire on the second day of the lockdown, not yesterday, which was day one.
As I identified myself as a journalist, the officer started shouting: “Siapa kau? Tidak boleh ambil gambar (Who are you? You cannot take pictures).”
That took me by surprise as it is common for journalists to take pictures of security personnel installing barbwire in a lockdown locality.
I questioned myself if I had violated any law, or if it was just a soldier making up his own.
The same with the police officer in charge at the exit point, who told me I could only take pictures of the checkpoint and nothing else, despite me identifying myself as a journalist.
Identifying myself as a journalist means I showed them my media tag, my Miti approval letters, and also the police commissioner release letters.
I went on with my business and returned home moments later. As I was just about to begin my story, a power failure occurred. Luckily, it only lasted 10 minutes.
But, as soon as the power disruption occurred, the voices of several children could be heard singing away into the brownout.
All these years living in Country Heights Apartment, the internet would also go kaput when a power failure occurs. So, I decided to pack my stuff and work elsewhere.
This means driving out of the apartment and to the office space, which is about 15 minutes away in the Kapayan area.
The office space is just a working space rented by the wife for her business. It was around 3pm when the power failure happened. I was already out of the apartment when the power came back on. It only lasted about 10 minutes.
But, I felt rushed by the situation. There was a press conference from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) at 5.30pm and a 7pm curfew at home. No one can enter or exit the apartment area after that.
This means I may have been forced to sleep in the office if I stayed on to complete my PBS story. I completed my article around 4.30pm and rushed home immediately.
It was already 5.20pm when I reached home, and journalists were already being invited to the virtual press conference.
As the night falls I have dinner, and afterwards, an unidentified number sends a message to me, instructing me to go for my swab test tomorrow morning. – The Vibes, June 18, 2021
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