Probe under way into 12 stalled police housing plans
The Star 22/11/2005

EXCLUSIVE
BY LOURDES CHARLES AND MARC LOURDES

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating 11 developers who have abandoned or delayed construction of 12 police housing projects costing a whopping RM500mil.

Police director of logistics Deputy Commissioner Datuk Shahrudin Samsudin said the purpose of the investigation was to ascertain if hanky-panky was involved.

The affected quarters under the 8th Malaysia Plan are in Perak (three projects), Johor (two), Kedah (two), Pahang (two), Terengganu (one), Sabah (one) and Selangor (one).

The biggest abandoned project is the RM215mil General Operations Force housing scheme in Kinarut, Sabah.

Among the problems resulting from the stalled projects:

• 2,670 personnel and their families are without quarters.

• The Government has to fork out an additional RM8.2mil a year in allowances for those renting houses.

• Only 99 of 211 projects under the 8th Malaysia Plan, which ends next year, have been completed.

• Some of the completed projects are not fit for occupation.