Malacca to revive abandoned housing projects

The Star  26/03/2001 By Devid Rajah

MALACCA: The state executive council will carry out routine visits to abandoned and delayed housing project sites to ensure their revival and completion.

Chief Minister Datuk Wira Mohd Ali Rustam Ali said all abandoned or delayed projects would either be monitored by him or State Housing Committee chairman Datuk Mo'min Abdul Aziz.

He said the state did not want to see projects left abandoned, especially housing projects.

"Delays have caused so much hardship to the people especially when the developer does not complete low-cost units,'' he said, adding that regular monitoring was needed to protect the interests of the public.

He said a special committee formed to look into delayed housing and building projects, including schools, mosques and other government projects, would meet regularly with developers.

"We will also be meeting contractors during our site visits. Because of the delay in payments by developers, some contractors have not been paying construction workers who depend on daily wages.

"This situation can cause social ills,'' he said.

He said besides strict monitoring, the state would also blacklist developers of abandoned housing projects.

Ali said there were about five abandoned housing projects that the state hoped to revive.