REHDA Says Govt Should Make Distinction Concerning Offenders
Bernama 14/11/2005

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association of Malaysia (REHDA), supported the government's act in releasing the names of those who did not comply with the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966, but felt that that the report should have made a distinction between the majority who were compounded for slight technical offences, and the very few who committed serious breaches against house buyers.

It said that the recent release of the names of offenders on the Housing and Local Government Ministry's website was a clear indication of the seriousness of the ministry in ensuring compliance in order to protect the interests of house buyers.

However, the association said that it was unfair to label the majority of these developers as "rogue" developers' when the offenders listed include those who have been publicly recognised and awarded for successfully completing thousands of houses to house buyers' satisfaction.

"Listing them in public in such manner for offences of such nature casts unfair aspersions on their reputation, implying that they have caused harm to house buyers in the process," REHDA said in a statement here Monday.

It said public censure of offences must discern between minor technical fractions as opposed to those that caused major hardship and detriment to buyers.

REHDA recommended that the ministry identifies offenders and their offences in a manner that fairly reflects the degree of seriousness of the offence in order to properly educate the house buying public.

On the published list, a total of 304 developers had contravened Section 7(f) of the Act, while another 214 developers had violated Regulation 6 (1)(a)-(j) of the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989.

Section 7(f) requires developers to submit half yearly reports on the progress of their housing development to the Housing Controller, whilst Regulation 6 (1)(a)-(j) stipulates the conditions and information that are required to appear in an advertisement of the housing project offered for sale by the developer.

-- BERNAMA