My new taman in Penang, there is a group of guards from a local company asking for monthly fee (like asking protection fee) for service to ronda our taman from night to morning.

While they said it is up to us want to get their service or not, I afraid that if we didn't give them, they will "do somethings" on our house or our car when we are not around.
I noticed that half of the residents here gave them while another half not.

My question, how can i know is this so called guards legally appointed to guard our taman, or is it any guards service company can simply come to any residential area to provide their service?

Not that i don't want to give them, but I don't see they doing their job much. Most of the time, I can't even see them at night.
Just occasionally riding their motorcycle and go around the taman to check fora while, then disappeared.

I rather give more $$ to those proper guards that really setup a booth in front of the taman entrance and gated all the surroundings.

Cannot do like that. You must have someone in your community to deal directly with the company. They can't simply go around asking money. If you don't have a community yet, get a group of people from your housing to build a community and deal straight with these 'guards'. If they're propoer company, they'll sure be more than happy to deal with official representative. If they give excuse and avoid....then u better report police. Furthermore, with no proof of what these 'guards' and company background, they could be the very same people who will rob your house and rape your women!!!

This post has been edited by Matrix: Apr 12 2010, 10:39 AM

are every household in your taman willing to contribute money to built a proper wall to cover the whole garden which only term as gated, chicken wire is not consider gated. On another note, if only half support the RA then i forsee it won't be long before the RA close down.

What they are doing is currently illegal. You need at least 80% and above of the resident to support the gated community. RA (Resident Association) needs to be setup to monitor the operations and collections of funds from the resident. Approval from the relevant authorities is required before they can starts to blocks the entrance or exit to / from the taman.

This post has been edited by keith_hjinhoh: Apr 12 2010, 10:49 AM

Totally agree with Bro Matrix !

That is just unbelieveable.

I think the problems in many of our residence area is that there is not proper committee to look into the general interest issue.

Remember that united, we get better bargaining power and protection.

With computer technology, I believe one could achieve collaboration with the neighborhood through twitter or facebook or something like this, as this is happening in many place in the world.

However, I believe there must be one to take the lead at least.

Besides that, you could also persuade your neighbor to setup up individual CCTV system in your taman, as I would recommend the very stable and full features LINUX base system of ZoneMinder.

You could also look through the forum as there are similar cases in the US, where the community setup individual CCTV at home to cover the area they are living in, and it's FREE and strong !!

Good luck to you bro.

Ya, actually I really though to take initiative to form a community to deal with this issue but the problem is my taman still only have around 60% occupancy rate.

Furthermore, if really hire a proper guards with properly gated, it will incurred more cost and I think some of the residences here might not agree (most of the Penangites are generally stingy lol), they might rather give cheaper fee to those current guards.

I saw most of the taman in KL only have those normal barricades (i dunno what it call) to block the access, and put a guard booth in front of the entrance. Normally how much those service cost per month?

usually those barricades useless too...

i recalled that i went to my wife's relative house at rawang, the area also come with some sort of normal barricades at the entrance... my wife's dad just waving hand on the guard who sitting below the big umbrella and enter the garden without registration or asking which house we visit...

if proper gated, should register the visitor info or ask where the visitor go at least...

hence, i saw bandar utama area with barricades, all the vehicles enter the garden like nothing... and the residents paid for nothing too...

my area charge RM50 per month, the security guard require to check back lane too every hour especially nite time.

If u need guide on forming G & G community, u can refer here www.usj.com.my.

This post has been edited by Tohsan: Apr 12 2010, 12:10 PM

this has been happening around ss2, petaling jaya......and those that paid have stickers at their house gates, and I saw many did not pay (as no stickers were given), small roads are blocked resulting the cars have to take big rounds to get to their places/ homes....however, it did reduce the crime rates (i think)....i am not totally sure, if there is robbery, will they risk their lives to save us?

i dont think they will risk their life to fight against crimes since they no carrying heavy weapon... so far i only know the security guard at Bandar Botanic Klang carrying shotgun along at the guard house... but the total maintenance fees cost RM200+

hence blocking the road junction wont be effective, i can walk in or ride motor into the garden and rob too... as believe most of the house robbery case are involved motor.... if expecting to isolate the garden away from crimes to the minimum, recommended to build perimeter wall or chicken green fence at least...

can refer the link below to view the video about robbery case
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=971395

But I think when you have some sort of patrolling in the neighborhood, at least the thieves or robber would think twice, as compare to those area that do not have any sort of security measures.

unless the guards have the capabilities to differentiate between outsider & resident while patrol around, otherwise patrol only wont be sufficient... imagine a motorcyclist (robber) riding around garden and bypass guard too, as believe guard wont chase him away... once the robber targeted one of the victims, 10-20seconds enough to lead a robbery case like the video i posted... hence most probably have few robbers along and 1 guard patrol around, even though guard saw the incident and he wont risk his life too... personally believe proper gated are required too to control the number of outsider within the resident area...