INCREASED FEES BY SECURITY GUARDS COMPANY

Blog by Sintar Residents Association 

Members would have by now read in the newspaper about the final approval (by the Cabinet) for guards companies to increase the wages of their guards. In order these companies could do so they would have to charge their customers (like us) more. What was apparently omitted in the newspapers is that aspect of gross-up of the guards’ wages by as high as 30% to cover the companies’ management expense; this really means we the customers are NOT only paying the guards higher wages but much more to the management and shareholders of the guards companies.

Using the latest quotation of our existing guards company, they are asking for RM2,017.39 for each guard (an increase of RM326.47 (19%) from what we are now paying, i.e. RM1,690.92). In anticipation of this sharp increase we had resorted to various means to protest, but unfortunately of little or no impact at all.

However our members have in the Special Members’ Dialogue on 2^nd January 2011 voted to exercise our rights as consumers and mandated the Pro-tem Committee the followings:-

1. As the strongest possible protest we would suspend security patrol service temporarily; (see below for the IMPORTANT date)

2. In resuming the security patrol service we might be compelled to engage lesser guards in accordance to our financial capability and also review their duty & responsibility accordingly;

3. To explore closer co-operation with neighbouring residential sectors to save cost (or share the burden of the increase).

Please note 6 of the 8 residential sectors in Tmn Bkt Maluri had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to take the same stand, so we do not need to feel unduly uncomfortable that we are the only affected area.

The Special Members’ Dialogue also decided not to increase at this stage the member fees (which had not been revised for 6 years now) but would appeal to members to influence their neighbours to join in the patrol scheme so that we could still continue the scheme in longer term.

In view of impending Chinese New Year, your Pro-tem Committee has decided to suspend security patrol service for one week from 15^th February; after that if the guard company is still not prepared to reduce their quote we shall engage 6 or 7 guards (as compared to 9 now).

During the period of suspension, members are advised to be more vigilant and report any suspicious characters to the police, in any event members are welcome to provide feedback using the complaint forms available at the guard houses. We will keep members posted in our blog tbmra2010.blogspot.com .

ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED IS VERY MUCH REGRETTED ALTHOUGH THE PRO-TEM COMMITTEE IS SATISFIED THAT WE HAD TRIED OUR LEVEL BEST TO RESIST THE UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICE.