Flat buyers spurn RM900 offer for late delivery
02/06/2008 New Straits Times By Melissa Darlyne Chow

GEORGE TOWN: More than 150 buyers of the 487-unit Taman Sri Idaman apartments here are considering legal action against the developer due to the low late-delivery compensation offered.

Its block A pro-tem committee chairman Lee Yeok Chee said the developer, Eternal Eight Property, promised to deliver the two-block medium-low cost apartment in 2004 but failed to do so.

The developer had offered residents RM900 compensation.

"It is not fair for them to offer such a small amount when they are supposed to compensate us 10 per cent of the RM50,000 per unit purchase price."

Lee said the committee was seeking late-delivery damages from the developer for the four-year delay.

He said it was planning to submit the tribunal forms within the next 10 days.

"However, we are always open to negotiations with the developer."

On April 22, some 40 buyers met Air Itam assemblyman Wong Hon Wai at his service centre. Wong arranged a meeting with the developer on April 30.

During the meeting, a representative for the 40 buyers handed over a memorandum to the developer seeking more in damages.

Wong, who was at the block yesterday, said Taman Sri Idaman was one of 26 abandoned projects in the state.

He said most of the abandoned projects were high-rise apartments and landed properties.

"The Penang Island Municipal Council is asking the developer to give a complete list of the buyers so that they can be contacted," he said, expressing hope the matter would be resolved without having to go to court.

Eternal Eight Property project manager Yeoh Thian Soon said the buyers should write to the company and it would send a representative to meet them.