Former mining pool emits noxious gas

By TAN KARR WEI 

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/9/23/central/9452800&sec=central

EIGHT years have passed since Taman Sri Manja residents in Petaling Jaya first detected the stinking smell of hydrogen sulphide coming from the drains, and the problem has not been solved completely.

The problem began in 2003 when industrial waste was dumped into a pool in the area. The resulting chemical reaction from the industrial waste releases hydrogen sulphide which is carried through the drains in the housing estate.

The 46.13ha of land was a former mining pool that now belongs to four owners and residents living in the surrounding residential areas said they would occasionally catch a whiff of the gas.

Taman Sri Manja Flats resident S. Kaliamah, 40, said they could still smell the gas coming from the drains especially in the morning or after heavy rain.

Dumping ground: The former mining pool has been filled up and lorries can be seen coming in and out of the area with loads of construction waste.

“We have become used to it but friends and relatives who visit us will comment that it was hard to breathe,” said Kaliamah.

The drain leading from the pool goes past several residential areas and have since been covered up by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to prevent the gas from polluting the air.

Kaliamah said when the hydrogen sulphide emission was at its worst in 2003, metal grilles would rust quickly and electronic equipment with copper wires would also be damaged.

“I have changed three television sets and two refrigerators. Our copper vases for prayers would turn black very quickly and we have to polish it almost every week.

“It is not so bad now but we still have to clean it about once a month,” she said.

Question remains : Residents are also concerned whether their flats are still structurally safe.

Universiti Malaya solid and hazardous waste management professor Dr P. Agamuthu, who was part of a team who conducted a study in the area in 2007, said the presence of hydrogen sulphide was a tell-tale sign that organic matter had been dumped into the pool.

“The pool should only be filled with inert waste like construction material or sand.” he said.

During the study, the level of hydrogen sulphide was monitored at various locations around the pool and an average reading of 21ppm (parts per million) was recorded.

Dr Agamuthu said consistent exposure to that amount of gas could pose health risks to residents, with children and senior citizens being more vulnerable.

Another concern: There are pools of stagnant water at the perimeter of the former mining pool in Taman Sri Manja, especially near the Petaling Perdana flats.

Among the short-term measures proposed to tackle the problem was to neutralise the water with oxidising agents, cover up the drains, fill the pool with inert materials and vacate a nearby kindergarten to minimise the children’s exposure to hydrogen sulphide.

Dr Agamuthu said the treatment involved releasing hydrogen peroxide into the water before it flowed into the drains to reduce the gas emission.

“This is something that has to be done continuously until the pool is eventually filled up,” he said.

The kindergarten was not vacated but the covering up of the drains had drastically reduced the smell but Dr Agamuthu said there would still be traces of hydrogen sulphide as long as the pool has not been filled up.

“The smell becomes unbearable after a downpour because the rain compresses the gas so the concentration is higher at ground level,” he said.

The issue became a hot topic during council full board meetings last year due to the illegal dumping into the pool. The council even resorted to stationing enforcement officers round the clock to ensure that only construction waste was thrown at the reclaimed land.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the council was now monitoring the levels once every six months, the latest being from Aug 4 to 11.

“The readings have always been at an average of 2ppm. The treatment is still being carried out by the Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Asma) using mud balls and reclamation with construction materials and stones,” she said.

MBPJ engineering head Cheremi Tarman said a part of the reclaimed land had been designated as a retention pool and another identified as a road reserve.

Dr Agamuthu said the level was safe for residential areas but residents would still smell the rotting stench.

Another problem faced by residents was water becoming stagnant at the fringes of the reclaimed land.

Petaling Perdana Residents Association chairman Hamzah Harip said it was especially bad near Blocks O and N of their flats, which was next to the reclaimed land.

“When it rains, the water will rise near the flats,” he said.

Residents have made matters worse by throwing rubbish and old furniture in the area.

Hamzah said there were a lot of mosquitoes in the area due to the stagnant water and he hoped the pool would be filled and levelled properly.

Kaliamah said they were also concerned whether their flats were structurally still safe.

“We have seen what it has done to the grilles, so how will we know if the steel foundation of our flats has not corroded?” she asked.

There are many questions still left unanswered and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, who was part of the committee set up by the Selangor government to monitor the issue, said it was up to the state to consider taking back the land from the owners.

“My recommendation is to leave it as a open recreational area to ensure the safety of the people.

“It has been filled up but we do not really know what is inside,” he said.

Dr Agamuthu said the pool was 100m at its deepest and high-density development was not recommended.

“The land will take years to settle and even then, any development will have to be low-density ones or open spaces like golf courses and recreational parks,” he said.

He cited an issue in Kelana Jaya, where residents of houses built on a former landfill found compressed garbage under only 15cm of soil.

“That landfill was only 5m deep but even now, some of the land around the houses are sinking. The pool is much deeper so the soil would need time to settle,” he said.

Report on PJ Palms to be handed to state

Writer: Alvin Yap
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=report-on-pj-palms-to-be-handed-to-state

PETALING JAYA: The mayor will present a detailed report on the operations of PJ Palms Sports Centre to the Selangor Economic Action Council.

The report by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will include the refurbishment work and operations at the former Kelab Syabas.

“We will present the report to the Menteri Besar and state executive councillors soon,” Roslan Sakiman said on Wednesday after the council’s full board meeting

The move follows complaints from Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee that the private operator, Sepang Mekar, has been given a lease of RM15,000 per month for the 60,000 sq ft area.

Lee said it was unfair for Sepang Mekar to make its sub-tenants fork out triple the rent they used to pay to the previous operator.

PJ Palms is within Lee’s state constituency, and sub-tenants have complained to him that they are paying high rental rates.

Two traders, Waikiki Bar, a pub, and a barbershop called Barber Joe claim that the new management’s policy of charging RM4.50 per sq ft rental space has caused a threefold increase 
in rental.

Waikiki Bar has to pay over RM19,000 instead of the usual RM5,000, and Barber Joe, which used to pay RM500 monthly, now has to pay RM1,800.

Roslan said MBPJ would review the lease rates to Sepang Mekar every three years.

“We will likely increase the monthly rates then,” he said at a press conference.

He pointed out that Sepang Mekar had given the sub-tenants rental discounts.

Roslan said Sepang Mekar was spending RM4.2 million to renovate and refurbish PJ Palms.

He said the previous operator operated a slot-machine gambling business and neglected the olympic-sized swimming pool.

A comprehensive audit report on the finances and work carried out by Sepang Mekar will be presented at a later date, he said.

Councillor Derek Fernandez said the club was in disrepair, adding that MBPJ had at one point planned to demolish the 30-year-old club, which was turning into an eyesore in New Town.

Selangor citizens' private residence ownership scheme

SELANGOR CITIZENS' PRIVATE RESIDENCE OWNERSHIP SCHEME

Kelab Syabas: Rental rates not high

Writer: Alvin Yap
http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=news&permalink=kelab-syabas-rental-rates-not-high

PETALING JAYA: The private operator of PJ Palms Sports Centre has refuted claims it charges high rental rates.

The new management of former Kelab Syabas said the rental is to recoup the RM4.2 million investment that was spent to refurbish the iconic club.

“We created a new look for the place to make it more family-oriented. We’ve placed new signages, installed new canopies and laid new flooring for our tenants,” said co-director David Solomon.

Solomon was clearing the air over allegations that his company, Sepang Mekar, is charging his tenants high rental since it took over PJ Palms early this year.

The swimming pool that was upgraded by Sepang Mekar at a cost of RM1.2 million.

Solomon pointed out that he had offered to renegotiate a lower amount after hearing their complaints.

Two tenants, Waikiki Bar, a pub, and a barbershop called Barber Joe, have complained that the new management’s policy to charge RM4.50 per sq ft rental space has caused a threefold increase in rental.

Waikiki Bar has to pay over RM19,000 instead of the usual RM5,000, and Joe, which used to pay RM500 monthly rent, now has to pay RM1,800.

They brought up the matter to Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Edward Lee, who says rental at PJ Palms is too high.

Lee also claimed that MBPJ was leasing the 30-year-old club to Sepang Mekar at 11 sen per sq foot.

Solomon said he had offered to lower Barber Joe’s rental to RM1,500 a month.

“He asked for 24 hours to consider it. But he never responded to the offer after that,” said Solomon.

He said Waikiki currently occupies the largest floor space in PJ Palms, and after consideration, was given a discount over non-rent generating space.

Solomon said he did not charge rent for some 1,000 sq ft as a result.

“I measured the storage room area and other utility spaces and did not charge them for the area,” he said.

Solomon said he still wants to extend the olive branch to Waikiki and Barber Joe by offering instalment plans for them to pay their rental.

“We can still sit down and discuss terms,” he said.

Meanwhile, MBPJ councillor Richard Yeoh said Sepang Mekar is guaranteed a tenancy of 12 years made up of four three-year terms based on the council’s appraisal of Sepang Mekar’s performance.

Yeoh also said the rent was based on a set figure of RM15,000 per month and not at “11 sen per sq ft” as alleged.

He also said Sepang Mekar investors had to recoup the capital investment of RM4.2 million.

Yeoh explained that MBPJ would get to keep the upgraded facilities consisting of a swimming pool, squash courts, indoor cricket hall and other amenities at the end of the tenancy agreement period.

He said it is not feasible for the sub-tenants to pay the same rental as it had done in the past as rental prices in the city had increased.

He further said that the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreements had been recommended by the city council’s committee on privatisation and investment.

He pointed out that out of six bids for the open tender, Sepang Mekar was chosen as it offered to turn the club into a “family-friendly” club.

“The tender process was carried out in an open and transparent process. It was also vetted by councillors during the full board meetings here at MBPJ,” he said.

He said previous operators had failed to maintain the eight-lane Olympic-size swimming pool, and also turned the premises into a gambling den.

Happy ending for Barber Joe

BY T.K. LETCHUMY TAMBOO

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/75638-happy-ending-barber-joe

LET THERE BE LIGHT: Power supply to Joe's Unisex Salon reconnected yesterday

PETALING JAYA: Barber Joe is here to stay as power supply to his salon in Jalan Sultan was reconnected on Sunday. Over the past month, the outlet had faced power cuts on weekends for refusing to agree to a new rental which was more than triple what he had been paying for many years.

"I had a meeting with PJ Palms Sdn Bhd two days ago and the matter was settled amicably when a more reasonable monthly rental of RM1,250 was agreed upon," said 60-year-old M. Inthirarasa, better known as Barber Joe whose clientele, built up over two decades, includes celebrities, sportsmen and corporate leaders.

"I don't want to lose my regular customers. I want them to know I'm back in business and here to stay."

PJ Palms are the new caretakers of the PJ Palms Sports Centre which also houses Joe's Unisex Salon.

Over the past month, The Malay Mail highlighted that Joe, who had been paying RM500 monthly to the previous management, felt the new rental of RM1,800 was exorbitant. He had also turned to Bukit Gasing State assemblyman Edward Lee for assistance.

PJ Palms director Seelan Chelliah, when contacted, said: "We brought down the rent significantly after negotiations with Joe, and took into consideration the longevity of his business, his age and the passion he has for his salon and his customers. We wanted a win-win situation."

Lee said the May 21 agreement between the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council and PJ Palms was the root cause of the unhappiness of the tenants there.

Councillors blast Lee for incorrect statement

By Jade Chan
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/6/21/central/8923503&sec=central

TWO Petaling Jaya City councillors hit out at Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee for issuing statements on the rent hike at the PJ Palms Sports Centre without fully understanding the tenancy agreement details.

Richard Yeoh and Derek Fernandez were responding to the story “Proprietors cry foul over higher rent under new agreement” published in Friday’s StarMetro.

The proprietors of Joe’s Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar had claimed harassment by the building’s main tenant to sign a new tenancy agreement or leave the premises.

Proposals were called for via an open bidding. Of the half dozen or so proposals, Sepang Mekar’s was the most advantageous to the MBPJ and it offered only family-friendly facilities. — RICHARD YEOH

The proprietors also complained of a four-fold increase in their rental rate under the new agreement with Sepang Mekar Sdn Bhd, the main tenant of the centre formerly known as Kelab Syabas.

The agreement was signed between the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Sepang Mekar, who are the landlord and main tenant respectively.

Yeoh stressed that it was incorrect and misleading for anyone to say that the premises was let out at “11 sen per sq ft”.

“That calculation was evidently derived based on the total land area of the title that PJ Palms sits on of 136,500sq ft (12,681sq m) and the RM15,000 monthly rental paid by the head tenant, Sepang Mekar to the MBPJ,” he said.

“For the record, the area under the tenancy is less than half of the total land area, that is about 60,000sq ft.

“We must also take into account the RM4.2mil that Sepang Mekar is legally bound to spend within the first two years to rebuild and upgrade the facilities at the centre,” said Yeoh.

“The 136,500sq ft (12,681sq m) refers to the entire land area held under the title, including the Complex C carpark, which is not included in the tenancy.

“The fictitious ‘11 sen per sq ft’ rate is irrelevant as the agreement is not even based on per square footage, but on a lump sum of RM15,000 monthly rental.”

The tenancy agreement was signed on May 21, 2010.

Yeoh said if there was no breach of the agreement and both sides agreed on the subsequent rental reviews, Sepang Mekar was guaranteed a tenancy of 12 years made up of four three-year terms.

Unfair: The proprietors of Waikiki Bar and Joe’s Unisex Salon are crying foul of the harassment they have been enduring from Sepang Mekar, the main tenant of PJ Palms Sports Centre.

“Sepang Mekar will be paying a monthly rental of RM15,000 to the council for the first six years,” he said.

“Sepang Mekar will be given a rent-free period for PJ Palms for the first year, which is an international industry practice to help them cope with the revamp and upgrade period.”

After the first two terms, Yeoh said renewal of the agreement is subject to rental rate review with the increment cap at 10% for each renewal.

“Sub-tenancy agreement details are negotiated between Sepang Mekar and the sub-tenants. The MBPJ will not interfere in that unless there is a breach of the agreement by Sepang Mekar,” he said.

“The main terms and conditions of the tenancy had been recommended by the MBPJ PJ Palms Sports Centre Project sub-committee, and approved by the MBPJ Committee for Economic Development, Privatisation, Industry and Investment, and endorsed by the MBPJ Full Board.

“The entire exercise in handling the PJ Palms project was done in an open and transparent manner,” said Yeoh.

“Proposals were called for via open bidding. Of the half dozen or so proposals, Sepang Mekar’s was the most advantageous to the MBPJ and it offered only family-friendly facilities.”

Yeoh said the detailed negotiations and drafting work were carried out over a period of many months and the MBPJ was advised by the legal firm of Messrs Chooi & Co.

“The terms obtained for this tenancy are far superior to the terms in the demised tenancy which we had refused to renew as the level of maintenance of the premises was considered not up to the mark and our firm conviction that council premises should no longer be used for any form of gaming,” he said.

Yeoh added that as part of the agreement, the swimming pool rates at the club must be approved by the MBPJ.

In the agreement, the proposed rates are as follows: RM4 and RM5 for adults on weekdays and weekends respectively, RM2 and RM3 for senior citizens above 55 and children below 12 on weekdays and weekends respectively, and RM1 for people with disabilities on both weekdays and weekends.

“One of the issues raised recently was the distribution of some leaflets advertising a RM8 rate for using the pool during peak hours at night, which is a matter that the council will check on,” said Yeoh.

“The MBPJ will ask the PJ Palms management to update the committee on the progress of the project.

“We will mediate and act if the head tenant acts unfairly or does not adhere to the agreement.”

Fernandez said the MBPJ was getting a good deal because the community would be getting first class facilities costing RM4.2mil and the MBPJ was collecting RM15,000 in monthly rental.

“If the tenancy is terminated or expires, the RM4.2mil capital renovation will belong to the MBPJ without any compensation,” he said.

“The whole idea is to bring back facilities to the public. The previous tenant was operating a gambling den in a public facility. Sepang Mekar is restoring the centre with a first-class pool and several sports facilities.”

Noting the controlled swimming pool rates, zero gambling element and RM4.2mil investment, All-Petaling Jaya Residents Association Coalition (Apac) chairman Johan Tung Abdullah said: “As far as Apac is concerned, the swimming rates are reasonable and the rental for sub-tenants is strictly a commercial decision issue that must be left to market forces without interferences from any politicians.

“APAC is happy that the MBPJ now collects three times more rental from the new operators, and at the same time has new and better facilities for PJ ratepayers.”

Proprietors cry foul over higher rent under new agreement

By Jade Chan

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/6/17/central/8899864&sec=central

THE proprietors of Joe’s Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar are being harassed by the building’s main tenant to sign a new tenancy agreement or leave the premises.

Salon owner M. Inthirasa (better known as Barber Joe) and bar proprietor Tony Siew whose outlets are in the former Kelab Syabas, now known as PJ Palms Sports Centre, said there appeared to be a force in asking them to sign the tenancy agreement and a testament to this was the intermittent disruption of power supply at their premises over the past three months.

“Sepang Mekar Sdn Bhd, the building’s main tenant, has been forcing us to sign a new tenancy agreement. This means we have to pay higher rent,” said Siew, who has signed the new agreement but yet to pay the deposit.

Joe said he had yet to sign the contract, as under the new agreement he would have to pay four times more than his rent now.

Crying foul: Edward (right) speaking at a press conference to highlight the dispute between Joe’s Unisex Salon and Waikiki Bar with Sepang Mekar, the main tenant of PJ Palms Sports Centre. With him are Tony (centre) and Joe (second from right).

“Under the new agreement, I will have to pay a monthly rental of RM1,700, as opposed to the current RM500 per month,” said the 61-year-old who has been operating his business for two decades.

“I have had no problems with the previous management, Bina Syabas, who managed the building for 18 years until their contract ended. The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) ran the place until Sepang Mekar won the contract last year.”

Siew, whose has been opearting his business for 15 years, said under the new agreement, the rent for his premises soared to RM18,900 from the present RM5,000.

“I had to lodge a police report last Thursday when my premises was padlocked without my knowledge. I had to reconnect the electricity supply on my own when it was cut off as I needed it restored to run my business,” he said.

Joe and Siew also complained about their inflated electricity bills, which they said were above Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s (TNB) commercial rates.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said managed to get a copy of the agreement, which was signed between the MBPJ and Sepang Mekar, who are the landlord and main tenant respectively.

“The total area of Kelab Syabas is 136,500sq ft (12,681sq m), including the shops and swimming pool,” said Lee.

“Sepang Mekar is paying the MBPJ a monthly rental RM15,000 for the entire club, which after a quick calculation means that they are paying 11 sen per sq ft.

“However, Sepang Mekar is charging sub-tenants like Waikiki Bar and Joe’s Salon RM4.50 per sq ft, while the other sub-tenants are charged RM5.20 per sq ft.

“It appears that the main tenant is buying time (by cutting off the electricity) to force the sub-tenants to sign the new agreement.”

Lee said he met PJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman two months ago and he promised to look into the matter.

“Roslan later acknowledged that something was not right, but that the agreement had to be complied with as the councillors had already agreed to it,” he said.

“When nothing happened at the council level, I brought the matter up to the state government.

“Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has requested for the matter to be tabled at the MTES (Selangor Economic Action Council).”

Lee said the issue was now with the state government and he hoped that the MTES would discuss the matter this week.

When contacted, Sepang Mekar managing director David Solomon expressed his disappointment and frustration, saying that both Waikiki Bar and Joe’s Salon had been difficult to sort out.

“We are not here to evict anybody. The agreement is still under negotiation with Joe’s Salon. Waikiki Bar has signed the agreement but have not honoured it,” he said.

“These two businesses have not paid their rental since March 2011. Their utility bills have not been paid on time either.

“The other 10 sub-tenants at the centre have been cooperative and paying their dues regularly.”

Even with the new agreement, Solomon said Joe’s Salon and Waikiki Bar would be paying lower than the average rental rate.

“The average rental for a basic commercial premises in PJ is RM6 per sq ft,” he said.

“We want to help these two businesses and tried hard to work with them and the MBPJ. We have a number of upgrades planned if they had come to an agreement on the tenancy details.”

Solomon said Sepang Mekar signed the agreement with MBPJ in May 2010, but only received access to the building in August 2010.

“We began refurbishment work in September 2010, and the new pool was completed within six months for its re-opening in March 2011,” he said.

“The delays have put a damper on the official launch of PJ Palms Sports Centre’s new look.

“The initial stage of its re-opening was scheduled for July 2011, with the new look to be fully unveiled by the end of this year.”

Solomon clarified that Sepang Mekar is the main tenant and was given the agreement to upgrade and refurbish the centre, while PJ Palms Sdn Bhd is the management company assigned by Sepang Mekar to manage and run the premises.