After waiting 18 years for their dream homes, a group of housebuyers now face another problem--red tape.

Even The Star had problem getting information from the Official Assignee, which had taken over the Taman Cahaya project in Gertak Sanggul, abandoned since 1981.

Many attempts to check the project's status with government officials and the Official Assignee drew a blank.

The Department of Official Assignee's Penang branch officer N. Dharmasegaran said the matter was beyond his control.

"If the housebuyers have anything to say, they can come to us," he added.

The Star had on Aug 7 highlighted the plight of the housebuyers who had planned to buy their own building materials and engage contractors to complete the remaining 30% of the project.

They are even prepared to dig wells for washing and cooking in the 61 units of double-storey house undertaken by Showkat Reality Sdn Bhd.

The place is now overgrown with lallang and trees have taken root inside the houses.

Housebuyers committee secretary K. Subramaniam @ Jeorge expressed outrage over the Official Assignee's attitude towards their plight.

"The Official Assignee should be more humane when dealing with our problems and not be overly bureaucratic," he said.

Jeorge said he submitted a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Shariff Omar yesterday to seek an appointment over the problem.

He hoped the state government could take over the project as soon as possible.

He added he had written to the Deputy Prime Minister's Office which later directed the Housing and Local Government Ministry to investigate the matter.

The ministry had, in a letter dated July 30, referred the matter to the Official Assignee.

Teluk Kumbar assemblyman Syed Ameruddin Datuk Syed Ahmad urged the housebuyers to sue the developer and its directors. The project is in his constituency.

"These irresponsible directors have brought untold hardship to the victims," he said.