Residents in a ‘fog’ over pest control services

By Charles Ramendran (The Sun)

PETALING JAYA (March 6, 2011): Crooked individuals claiming to be appointed by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to carry out pest control services are making their rounds in townships here again, fleecing residents into paying them for their services.

The tricksters who come well attired and display an air of authority to convince residents often demand between RM30 and RM100 for their services which are often brief and shoddy.

Many of these men have also coerced residents into paying them by claiming that if they refused they could face heavy fines by MBPJ.

In the latest case on Feb 20, Section 20 resident and businessman Ong Kah Yong, 39, was fleeced into paying RM50 for pest control services by a group of men claiming to be from a company appointed by MBPJ.

“I was in a hurry and it turned out that I was the only resident in the area who paid them. They were smartly dressed and told me to fill up a form before demanding for RM50. They claimed the charges were for a whole year’s service. Though they claimed it was for fogging mosquitos, they gave me a receipt which stated the service was to rid my place of flies and for soil treatment.” he said at a press conference called by Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San and MBPJ councillor A.Jayaseelan at the DAP headquarters in Taman Paramount.

He said the men spent a few minutes spraying chemicals at his porch before leaving.

Two days later, suspecting something was amiss, he called up Lau and related his encounter with the men and learnt he had been cheated.

Lau said MBPJ had not appointed any third party company to provide pest control services and advised residents to be cautious of such groups.

He advised them to call the MBPJ hotline at 03-77542020 if such groups turn up at their doorstep.

A senior police officer from the district police headquarters who declined to be named said the case amounts to impersonation or cheating and police can take action against those concerned. -- theSun

Updated: 08:39PM Sun, 06 Mar 2011