Residents of Bishan’s Nature Loft slammed PAP MP Josephine Teo over the increasing frequency of lift breakdowns in their estate at an hour-long dialogue session. Also present was the general manager of the lift manufacturer, Sigma, which PAP MP Josephine Teo brought along to shield her from criticisms. However, Bishan residents knew better and directed their anger at the PAP MP.
A resident said at the dialogue that he had called Sigma’s hotline 20 times to complain about the lift breakdowns but he never once receive a response.
In response, PAP MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Josephine Teo, made more promises about improvements and vowed to take a “stricter maintenance regime”:
“The performance of the lifts serving the three 40-storey Natura Loft blocks was unacceptable. With 5.2 breakdowns per lift per year, it fared worse than other estates in the GRC with similar high-speed lifts. We want to bring this number down to four breakdowns per lift per year, which is on par with the rest of the lifts in the GRC. I believe it can be done. A stricter maintenance regime and more preventative steps will be taken. This includes extra servicing and changing lift parts before the end of their cycle.”
However, MP Josephine Teo also said that she will need more money to meet basic standards:
“This will cost us more, but it is worth it if it helps with the problem. I hope to set up an in-house lift supervisory team for Natura Loft, but this will be difficult due to a shortfall of qualified lift technicians.”
MP Josephine Teo then rounded up the dialogue saying that she thinks the situation is not as serious as the Bishan residents think it is and that the lifts do not need replacing “right away”:
“The data does not suggest that the Sigma lifts need replacing right away as the breakdown rate was not of an order of magnitude of difference from the average lift.”
Earlier in February, the PAP Town Councils demanded for more money from residents to fulfill their basic duty of ensuring breakdown-free HDB lifts.
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