No more airing ‘clean laundry’

Deputy Prime Minister announced that from 2009 residents of multi-level residences will not be allowed to dry their clothes in the open “where the whole world can see......"

According to The Star story....

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said a guideline should be in place so that developers would be made responsible for preparing a special area or the proper facilities in its properties for drying clothes.


Published: Tuesday December 2, 2008 MYT 7:19:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday December 2, 2008 MYT 7:32:17 PM

Multilevel residences: No more airing ‘clean laundry’
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: Those living in multilevel residences will no longer be allowed to dry their clothes in the open “where the whole world can see,” effective next year.

This follows a government decision to tackle the eye-sore problem once and for all, and to clean up the image of Malaysian cities by coming up with a guideline for both developers and residents of such buildings.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said a guideline should be in place so that developers would be made responsible for preparing a special area or the proper facilities in its properties for drying clothes.

“We can see today that most people living in multilevel residences like flats, apartments and condominiums dry their clothes in the open. It is unsystematic and affects our efforts to portray a modern image for Malaysian cities.

“For the moment, we will have a guideline so that necessary action can be taken by parties concerned, including residents to have proper equipment and facilities so they need not expose their laundry,” he said after chairing the National Council on Local Government meeting on Tuesday.

The Deputy Prime Minister however said there was nothing punitive about the guideline as the aim was to encourage the public to be more sensitive about the issue.

“For the time being, it is more on making the moral switch. It it does not work, then we have to consider amending existing laws,” he said, adding a circular would be issued by the ministry next year to inform local authorities of the decision.

Najib said it would be the duty of local authorities and the Commissioner of Buildings to inform developers and managements of flats, apartments and condominiums to see to it that the guideline was followed.