Q & A on Suria BK3 RA and the security systems

Some of the common questions the residents have asked the RA so far:

Question: What is a Residents Association (RA)?
Answer:  RA is an organization set up by a residents within the same community to address issues and provide voices for that community.

Question: How do you set up a RA?
Answer: A RA has to be officially registered with The Registry of Societies Malaysia. The ROS web page is here. Our RA covers only Jalan BK3/3A, 3/3B, 3/4, 3/5 and 3/6 only, not the entire BK3.

Question: Is our RA officially registered with ROS?

Answer: Yes.

Question:  What is the name of our RA?
Answer:  The official name is Persatuan Penduduk Jalan B/K 3, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, Selangor. The name of a RA has to be approved by ROS. Our RA has proposed a few names to them and this is the one they chose.

Question: It is a rather long name, is there a short name for the RA?
Answer: Yes, our RA has a shorter unofficial name of Suria BK3. However, for anything official like cheque payment, the long name has to be used.

Question: What is the main issue facing our BK3 community?
Answer: Over the past three few years alone, our own statistic shows about 22% of the houses in our area were broken into. In other words, for every 5 houses, 1 was broken into. Security is the number one issue we face in our community.

Question: Why is BK3 so unsafe?
Answer: There are just too many open area and roads that intruders can use to get into our area.

Question: Is there any solution to that problem?
Answer: The best way is to provide perimeter fencing, temporary barriers at secondary roads and have reliable guards to patrol our area.

Question: Can we do the perimeter fencing and barriers to make the area more secure?
Answer: Yes, we need minimum 75% of the residents' consent to do that. Besides that, it also requires some fund. That's why our RA has started to collect a life time membership fee for all members. The amount collected is used mainly for that purpose.

Question: How about security guards?
Answer: The RA has decided to look into hiring some reliable guards to patrol our area twenty four hours a day.

Question: Who provides the fund to hire security guards?
Answer: In order for it to work, all the household must come together and contribute a monthly fee for the security guard fees. The RA has started a drive to get as many household as possible to contribute in order to have enough fund to hire the guards.

Question: What is the monthly contribution fee for each household?
Answer: It depends on the number of households contributing. The more residents contribute, the cheaper it will get.

Question: How many houses are there in our community?
Answer: 216.

Question: Is it mandatory for all household to contribute?
Answer: No, it is all voluntary basis. However, since it is for the good of the community, close to 80% of the households have decided to participate. We encourage everyone to participate to make this possible.

Question: If I decide not to contribute now, but want to at a later time, can I do it?
Answer: Yes. There is no time frame when one must decide. As mentioned before, the more residents contribute, the cheaper the rate is.

Question: Who keeps and decides how we use the money?
Answer: The RA has a committee chosen by the residents that decides on the activities organized by the RA. The treasurer is responsible to keep a proper account on the funds collected and spent. Everything is recorded and transparent. You can find the current committee member list here. The term for committee members is two years. After that, a new committee will be chosen by the residents.

Question: How do the RA keep the residents informed of what is going on?
Answer: There are regular briefing sessions,  news letters, as well as a Facebook page providing all the information about the RA.

Question: What happen when there is not enough fund to hire security guards?
Answer: Well, if for example, most residents decided not to contribute the monthly fee, and the RA run out of fund, it may have to stop hiring security guards all together. That's why it is important for all the resident members to work together to make it happen.

Question: Is the RA for security purpose only?
Answer: No, anyone has ideas about activities for the whole community can make suggestions. The RA can do many other things for the community such as organizing a family day, and so on.

Question: Can I volunteer to help out the RA?
Answer: Yes, the more people participate, the better. The RA is always looking for helpers. Please contact one of the committee members if you wish to help. All the committee members are working also on voluntary basis at this moment.