House buyers continue to be at the receiving end
25/05/2004 The Sun By Koh Bak See, Penang

THE housing and local government minister has said that no certificates of fitness (CFs) will be issued until houses are completed.

I would like to laud Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting for his concern for house buyers who are constantly cheated by unscrupulous housing developers and his determination to take the necessary steps to resolve the buyers' problems.

However, going by the ministry's record, I doubt that Ong will achieve any satisfactory solution to the problems.

Two other serious lapses by the local authorities are:

Approval of the "E Form" even before the houses are fully completed;

Approval of CFs for housing developers without connecting water and electricity supplies.

Although the minister is aware of the malpractices in his local authorities, such illegal activities continue regardless.

In view of this, I hope the prime minister would ensure that the Housing Ministry punishes the lawbreakers in the various local authorities, and compels the developers to strictly adhere to the following guidelines:

Put in sufficient funds to follow the build-then-sell concept of development.

Refrain from handing over uncompleted projects to house buyers based on absurd terms of vacant possession.

Adhere strictly to the sales and purchase agreements and honour late delivery payments.

Immediately redeem the mortgaged land and houses charged to the financing banks or institutions once the outstanding sum is fully paid by houses owners.

Make available the management accounts of the apartments for owners' viewing.

Help tenants to form a joint management committee to manage the common property.

Obtain strata titles for the house buyers as stipulated in the regulations within the specified periods.

Finally, the minister should educate the residents of high-rise buildings to accept the concept of sharing facilities, and use the necessary laws to coerce the house owners to pay up their monthly maintenance fee regularly, so that the developers or their appointed management agents have sufficient funds to manage the common property well.