KUALA LUMPUR: The malfunctioning elevator incident at the Kerinchi People’s Housing Project (PPR) flats on Friday must serve as an eye-opener for the authorities on long-standing problems faced by residents there.
This is the view of several occupants of the highrise building, who are still reeling from the incident in which eight people were injured.
Kerinchi PPR Block C residents president Yusoff Ibrahim said many complaints on the faulty elevators had previously been lodged with Kuala Lumpur City Hall. But most of the actions taken were only temporary measures instead of long-term solutions, he said.
“We hope that the incident will open the eyes of the relevant authorities about the seriousness of elevator issues here.
“We are thankful that there were no casualties. The elevators here break down frequently and when a complaint is made, repairs are done. But after a while, they break down again.
“There was even an instance when all three elevators were not functioning and residents had to use the stairs. We are hoping for proactive measures after this,” he added.
Yusoff, 69, said all elevators at the PPR should be replaced with new ones since they are over 10 years old. He also urged for regular maintenance to be conducted.
Another resident, Roszimi Mohd Rozali, 51, said the elevator in the incident must be completely replaced, as many residents had been trapped in it several times before.
“If this elevator could speak, it would definitely say that it had had enough. It must be replaced. Repair works will not help at all.
“I plead with the authorities to open their eyes and see the seriousness of the issue. We need immediate action and a long-term solution,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the victims of Friday’s incident, Mansor Husin, 64, said it was not the first time that he had experienced calamity in an elevator at the PPR.
He said a similar incident occurred in a different elevator last year, which caused him to suffer injuries to his right leg.
He injured his left leg in Friday’s incident.
“In the previous incident, there were four people, including myself, in the lift. But what happened to me (on Friday) was more terrifying.
“The elevator plunged extremely fast from the fifth floor. I am traumatised from the incident. I am now using the stairs to get to and from my unit on the eighth floor,” he said, adding that his right leg was bruised and that he is still in pain.
“When the lift began to plunge, I dropped to the floor and sat, but others who were in the lift (collided into) my leg. I am thankful that the incident did not cause any serious injuries to anyone,” he added.
Another victim, Johari Kamarudin, 40, said that he fell as the elevator plunged towards the ground floor.
“We were returning home after Friday prayers and all of a sudden, the elevator began plunging with the door open.
“We were all panicking. There was nothing we could do, since it all happened within seconds,” he added.