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Developers still waiting on
CCC implementation
The Sun 29/9/2005 By Fintan Ng
PETALING JAYA: With just a little more than two months to go before the
certification of completion of construction (CCC) works is implemented,
developers are still awaiting word or confirmation from the government over
the matter.
"We have not received any word or confirmation from the authorities on when
CCC will be applicable," SP Setia Bhd executive director Khor Chap Jen told
theSun.
At press time, there were still
no comments from the Housing and Local Government Ministry and local
councils despite several attempts. To recap, Housing and Local Government
Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said earlier this year that the Certificate
of Fitness for Occupation (CFO) would be replaced by the CCC by December to
cut red tape and minimise delays in the issuance of CFOs.
Part of the implementation calls for professionals in the industry, namely
architects and engineers, to replace the local Councils in being responsible
for the issuance of CFOs.
However, according to Khor, his company had yet to receive instruction or
confirmation from the government over the CCC implementation.
"At the moment, the CCC is only applicable to individual bungalows built by
individual owners.
It has not been extended to residential properties by developers yet," he
said. "However, we are still required to obtain the relevant local
authorities' inspection and clearance for the issuance of CFOs," Khor added.
"If the CCC plan is approved for implementation by the government, we are
ready for the change. We feel that it is a proactive move and good for the
overall housing industry."
Mah Sing Group Bhd chief executive officer Lim Ching Choi said his company
had yet to receive any directive from the government on the issue but he did
not foresee any hiccups in the transition period when local councils
transfer their responsibility to the consultants.
"What I'm most concerned about is not who is issuing the certificate, but
the accountability and the responsibility in the process of the issuance of
the CFO," he said.
"Operationally, consultants have been doing the paperwork for the
certification... but those doing the certification must be responsible."
As for consultants, Lim said they must be ready in terms of staffing and
training when the time comes for the implementation of the CCC.
The transfer of responsibility is a good move, he added, as it would speed,
things up for the developers and purchasers and free up manpower resources
in the government. He expected the Real Estate and Housing Developers
Association (Rehda) to be notified first about the implementation and to
transmit the information to its members.
A Petaling Jaya-based developer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said
he had not received any word concerning the guidelines. "As far as we're
concerned, if it comes, we'll follow it. Usually, Rehda would be the first
to be notified if there are any changes," he said.
Rehda vice-president and chairman of its Selangor branch, Muztaza Mohamad
said the association had yet to get any word from the government. "If this
is to be implemented by December, then we would like to have the directives
from the ministry soon," he added.
Muztaza was speaking on the side lines of the Seminar on Trends in Property
Development and Marketing in Subang Jaya organised by Rehda Selangor on
Wednesday. He, however, did not see any hiccups or problems in the transfer
of the responsibility from the local councils to the consultants. “Approving
the certificate of fitness is just a formality, the consultants are there
from the start and they know what to do,"
Mustaza said. "There is also an adequate system of checks and balances
because the banks, consultants, contractors and local authorities are there
to ensure the quality of the work."
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