By SARBAN SINGH metro@thestar.com.my
RESIDENTS’ associations (RA) in several housing schemes in Seremban 2 want the government to intervene and compel the Security Services Association of Malaysian (SSAM) to abolish a move to impose a minimum hourly rate for security guards.
The RAs, representing several thousand residents in Seremban 2, said the SSAM’s proposal to hike the rates would cause several housing schemes to give up paying for such a service.
And when this happens, they said, the police would have to increase their patrols in the housing schemes in the new township to check crime.
The residents who now pay between RM3.50 and RM4.50 per hour for each security guard are against the RM6.50 per hour rate imposed by the SSAM. The new rates are scheduled to come into force on Jan 1.
They want Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam to put a stop to this, saying that by paying for guarded and gated communities, they were already helping the police to fight crime.
Representatives from six residents’ associations — Rasah Kemayan Section 6, Acacia, Vision Homes, Zebrina City Homes, Symphony S2 Heights and Emerald Park — held a gathering recently to protest the hike.
The SSAM had said that the minimum rates for those who wished to hire unarmed guards in Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Perak, Pahang, Terengganu, northern Johor, and Sarawak from Jan 1 would be set at RM6.50 per hour.
Those in Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and southern Johor will have to pay RM7.50 per hour. Residents and businesses in other areas will have to pay between RM5.50 and RM6 per hour.
(These rates do not include the six per cent government service tax).
Zebrina Residents’ Association head Tan Meng Hai said the new rate was 77% higher than what his members were already paying.
“We are already facing a tough time getting some residents to pay up. With the increase, more people are going to stop paying and we all know what the consequences are going to be,” he said, adding that they now paid RM3.70 per hour for each security guard.
Under the present arrangement with their security company, each guard is paid RM1,400 a month. When the new rates are enforced, the residents will have to pay RM2,340 for each guard.
“Why is there a drastic increase when the guards are not given proper training? Some of the guards are too old and are unable to read and write,” he said.
Symphony S2 Heights Residents’ Association secretary Haiqal Baharul said 75 of the 110 house owners in the housing scheme have been paying RM100 each for the past month for the service as well as for maintenance.
“We started with RM4 per hour for each guard. Are you telling me that we should increase this to RM6.50 per hour after only two months?,” he asked.
Haiqal said before the security company began providing the service, there was only one house break-in in the new housing scheme.
“We are already paying so high and I am sure many of the residents will not agree having to fork out more,” he said.
Vision Homes Residents’ Association head Lam Chew Hoong said the 600-plus house owners in the area paid RM30 every month for the service.
“We have been paying RM4 per hour for more than three years and never had problems with the security company providing the service.
“With more than 100 house owners not paying a sen for the service, the higher rates will surely affect our cash flow,” he said, adding that there were 892 houses in the housing scheme.
Acacia Residents’ Association president Michael Ong said the SSAM can increase the minumum rate for security guards but the proposed hike was drastic.
He said some 90% of the 354 house owners in the housing scheme paid RM50 per month for the security service.
“We cannot allow a massive jump as we are now paying RM4.30 per hour for each guard,” he said.
Rasah Kemayan Section 6 residents’ association deputy head Andy Liew said although there were some 300 homes in the housing area, only about 200 were paying the RM50 monthly fee for security service.
Liew said the police would have a lot more patrolling to do if this happened as there were several new housing schemes in the area.
Emerald Park Residents’ Association head Teh Seng Hap said there had been no crime reported in the housing scheme with 204 homes since they hired a security service three years ago.
“Even the police had commended us for this. But if we have to fork out more for the service, I am worried we may have to reconsider extending the contract of the security service company,” he said.
Teh said each house owner would have to pay RM65 per month as against the RM30 per month they paid now if the rates were increased.
A resident from Zebrina City Homes Ranandra Chaudhury said instead of proposing a sharp increase in rates, the SSAM should ensure the security companies sent their guards to be screened by the authorities before they are hired.
“Some of them do not even wear uniforms and are unkempt most of the times,” he said, adding that the government should intervene in the matter and allow market forces to decide the rates.
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/12/20/central/7638802&sec=central
The RAs, representing several thousand residents in Seremban 2, said the SSAM’s proposal to hike the rates would cause several housing schemes to give up paying for such a service.
And when this happens, they said, the police would have to increase their patrols in the housing schemes in the new township to check crime.
The residents who now pay between RM3.50 and RM4.50 per hour for each security guard are against the RM6.50 per hour rate imposed by the SSAM. The new rates are scheduled to come into force on Jan 1.
 |
| Representatives of residents from several housing schemes in Seremban 2 are asking the government to abolish the minimum rates for security guards. |
Representatives from six residents’ associations — Rasah Kemayan Section 6, Acacia, Vision Homes, Zebrina City Homes, Symphony S2 Heights and Emerald Park — held a gathering recently to protest the hike.
The SSAM had said that the minimum rates for those who wished to hire unarmed guards in Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Perak, Pahang, Terengganu, northern Johor, and Sarawak from Jan 1 would be set at RM6.50 per hour.
Those in Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and southern Johor will have to pay RM7.50 per hour. Residents and businesses in other areas will have to pay between RM5.50 and RM6 per hour.
(These rates do not include the six per cent government service tax).
Zebrina Residents’ Association head Tan Meng Hai said the new rate was 77% higher than what his members were already paying.
“We are already facing a tough time getting some residents to pay up. With the increase, more people are going to stop paying and we all know what the consequences are going to be,” he said, adding that they now paid RM3.70 per hour for each security guard.
Under the present arrangement with their security company, each guard is paid RM1,400 a month. When the new rates are enforced, the residents will have to pay RM2,340 for each guard.
“Why is there a drastic increase when the guards are not given proper training? Some of the guards are too old and are unable to read and write,” he said.
 |
| Residents want market forces to determine the rates for security guards as it will help the police to check crime. |
“We started with RM4 per hour for each guard. Are you telling me that we should increase this to RM6.50 per hour after only two months?,” he asked.
Haiqal said before the security company began providing the service, there was only one house break-in in the new housing scheme.
“We are already paying so high and I am sure many of the residents will not agree having to fork out more,” he said.
Vision Homes Residents’ Association head Lam Chew Hoong said the 600-plus house owners in the area paid RM30 every month for the service.
“We have been paying RM4 per hour for more than three years and never had problems with the security company providing the service.
“With more than 100 house owners not paying a sen for the service, the higher rates will surely affect our cash flow,” he said, adding that there were 892 houses in the housing scheme.
Acacia Residents’ Association president Michael Ong said the SSAM can increase the minumum rate for security guards but the proposed hike was drastic.
He said some 90% of the 354 house owners in the housing scheme paid RM50 per month for the security service.
“We cannot allow a massive jump as we are now paying RM4.30 per hour for each guard,” he said.
Rasah Kemayan Section 6 residents’ association deputy head Andy Liew said although there were some 300 homes in the housing area, only about 200 were paying the RM50 monthly fee for security service.
Liew said the police would have a lot more patrolling to do if this happened as there were several new housing schemes in the area.
Emerald Park Residents’ Association head Teh Seng Hap said there had been no crime reported in the housing scheme with 204 homes since they hired a security service three years ago.
“Even the police had commended us for this. But if we have to fork out more for the service, I am worried we may have to reconsider extending the contract of the security service company,” he said.
Teh said each house owner would have to pay RM65 per month as against the RM30 per month they paid now if the rates were increased.
A resident from Zebrina City Homes Ranandra Chaudhury said instead of proposing a sharp increase in rates, the SSAM should ensure the security companies sent their guards to be screened by the authorities before they are hired.
“Some of them do not even wear uniforms and are unkempt most of the times,” he said, adding that the government should intervene in the matter and allow market forces to decide the rates.
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/12/20/central/7638802&sec=central
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