Selangor Government To Meet Developers, Banks On 'Sick' Housing
Bernama 16/10/2005 

SHAH ALAM, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government will call meetings with developers of abandoned housing projects and banks to find ways to solve the problem.

The meetings will be held after the state government has gone through a report on the 56 abandoned projects now being compiled by the Selangor Housing and Property Board (LPHS), said state exco for housing, buildings management and squatters Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Ahmad Dahlan.

He said the report, to be completed in a month's time, would cover projects in four districts -- Selayang, Gombak, Petaling Jaya and Kajang.

Most of the projects were abandoned due to the developers running out of money and lack of expertise, he said after presenting Hari Raya Aidilfitri contributions totalling RM70,000 to 450 senior citizens, orphans and single mothers Sunday.

The recipients at the event organised by the Umno Subang division included the poor chosen by the MCA and MIC Subang divisions.

Eight pots of "bubur lambuk" cooked by the Umno members were distributed to everyone present.

"There should be cooperation between the banks, developers and buyers to solve the abandoned housing projects problem," Mohd Mokhtar said.

He also said Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB), the national housing corporation, and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) had agreed to take over some of the abandoned projects to help revive them.

He said SPNB had taken over five projects while PKNS had agreed to take over several others by introducing the "build and sell" concept, which had proved successful after being introduced by the state government.

"We see the concept could prevent house buyers from being cheated and we hope this concept would be adopted by other housing companies in stages," he said.

He also advised house buyers facing problems with irresponsible developers to complain to the House Buyers Claims Tribunal to protect their rights.

-- BERNAMA