Dr Koh wants to meet disgruntled housebuyers

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon wants to meet a committee representing buyers of three problematic housing projects following press reports of their planned mass gathering at Dewan Tunku, Komtar, on Oct 24.

Fettes Villa Low-Medium Housing Project Purchasers Action committee chairman K. C. Tan said they had agreed to the meeting when contacted by an aide of Dr Koh.

However, he said the committee would still proceed with the RM2-a-person Self-Help gathering despite attempts by certain quarters to stop it.

He said the committee had faxed letters inviting Dr Koh, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Ting Chew Peh and the Consumers Association of Penang to meet the buyers.

"We have given them until Oct 20 to reply. The gathering will proceed even without their presence," he told a press conference yesterday at the state DAP headquarters.

Tan said the committee would apply for a police permit as the gathering was expected to be attended by about 1,500 housebuyers.

They are buyers of the Fettes Villa project in Tanjung Bungah which has 400 low-medium cost (LMC) units, Green Garden in Paya Terubong (2,000 LMC units) and Majestic Heights Phase 2A comprising 380 units costing between RM69,000 and RM79,000.

The buyers of the Fettes Villa and Green Garden should have received their units in the first half of the year but the projects have barely started.

According to buyers of the Majestic Heights units, the homes should have been delivered last September but the project "is over 75% completed and the developer is dragging its feet" to complete it.

Tan said housebuyers were each to pay a RM2 "entrance fee" at the venue to cover expenses totalling about RM3,000 for rental of hall, sound system, stage and chairs.

"We believe this is the first time in Penang that housebuyers are forking money to rent an auditorium to meet the Chief Minister," he said.

For details, call Tan at 016-4162090 or secretary Tai Teik Hock at 04-8273379.