Ministry to blacklist irresponsible developers
NST 24/06/1999

KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. - The Housing and Local Government Ministry will blacklist irresponsible housing developers who have a bad track record including shoddy workmanship, and stop issuing licences to them.

Its minister Datuk Dr Ting Chew Peh said the move was aimed at protecting the interest of house buyers.

"Those who have been blacklisted will not be issued licences for their future projects," he told reporters after the post-Cabinet meeting today.

"This is a long standing issue.

"The ministry had proposed that irresponsible developers be blacklisted since the 1980s but there was no provision to take such action under the law," he said.

He said the ministry had blacklisted 23 companies between 1987 and 1989 but stopped when it was advised against it.

"But after studying the matter, the ministry has now decided to use its administrative power not to issue licences to irresponsible developers for their future projects."

Last year, the ministry received 1,135 complaints mostly on shoddy workmanship of houses particularly in the urban areas compared with 97 complaints in 1997.

Ting said a committee would be formed to decide whether certain companies and their directors should be blacklisted.

The committee will start compiling the list next month.