KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad today said the ministry is taking steps to comprehensively maintain and upgrade the elevators in public housing and People’s Housing Projects (PPR) in the city.

He said there are currently 73,140 public housing and PPR units in 88 housing areas in the city.

"Of this number there are 530 elevators maintained at intervals by eight contractors who were chosen via open tender and at different periods,” he said in Parliament.

Khalid was responding to a question by Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun on the maintenance of public housing and PPRs in the city.

"The contractors were hired to maintain the elevators based on guidance from the 24-hour operations room at Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

"Upgrading works will be done on elevators which are over six-year-old, such as on the controller lift, car cage, and system control,” he said, adding that elevators between 15 to 20-years-old would be replaced.

Khalid said DBKL is also making other improvements including establishing elevator monitoring units according to sub-zones, forming elevator auditing teams, and installing CCTV inside and outside of elevators.

"Facilities will also be prepared for elevator maintenance personnel, who will be on call from 8am to 6pm every day, including holidays,” he said.

Khalid said at present DBKL is replacing 203 elevators in 22 areas, and improving 89 elevators in eight areas.

He added that rthe replacement and improvement of the elevators has been ongoing since 2015 at a total cost of RM135.8 million.

"Based on the performance of the contractors, 95 per cent of reported cases regarding elevators were resolved within the 30 minute response time.

"However at the same time DBKL will take preventive measures regarding elevator vandalism, which remains the biggest issue we face,” Khalid said, adding these measures include awareness and social programmes aimed at reducing vandalism.

"Problems include defecating in the elevators and general littering. I advise all to please look after the elevators, as it is a collective responsibility,” he said.

On a related matter Khalid said the ministry will construct more Federal Territories Houses (Rumawip) but on a more transparent level.

Responding to Tapah MP Datuk M. Saravanan and Lembah Pantai MP Fahmy Fadzil who were concerned about the lack of housing for the poor in Klang Valley, he said the process of constructing and granting Rumawip was originally rooted in good intentions.

"Unfortunately the tendering process was not done openly. It has to be so since for the developers it brings about many special benefits including increased plot ratio or free premium.

"So when you engage in direct negotiations it means only certain developers were offered the project, which would definitely expose it to abuse of power and corruption,” Khalid said.