The management corporation may have terminated maintenance services at Desa Permai Indah but the residents have proved that they can upkeep the apartments on their own.

Residents association acting vice-chairman Aloysius Dawson said 45% of the unit owners had made contributions for this month until December based on the old service charges.

"We have taken over the maintenance on a temporary basis until the problem is resolved and have since restored everything back to the original state," he said yesterday.

Maintenance services at the six 12-storey apartment blocks in Sungai Dua, developed by Hamna Sdn Bhd, were terminated on Sept 1 because residents had allegedly failed to pay RM500,000 in maintenance fees as at Aug 31.

The residents claimed that the management had raised the fees by 33% in March and refused to accept payments at the old rate but Hamna managing director Datuk Tan Swee Hueng said the increase was only 20%.

Dawson said the security services, maintenance of the swimming pool, landscaping of the grounds, lift operations, cleaning of the general areas and waste disposal were now back in place.

"And we are in the process of finalising arrangements with the electrical consultants," he said.

On the 55% of unit owners who have not contributed, Dawson said some were not aware of the situation as their units were rented out.

Others, he added, said the situation fell into a "grey area" as the management corporation was supposed to collect the fees and were unwilling to take any risk.

"We'll try to convince them (that they should make the contributions). After all, it's their own property. If they don't upkeep the place, who will?" he asked.

According to state executive councillor and Batu Uban assemblyman Datuk Kee Phaik Cheen's special assistant Wong Mun Hoe, a meeting between the state government and Tan would be arranged to discuss the matter.

"We have been informed that Tan is abroad and will only be back on Monday. A date for the meeting will be fixed as soon as possible after that," he said.