Tackling errant
developers 02/01/2002 MM
A HARDER approach should be adopted to counter the lackadasical
attitude of housing developers and contractors in building quality homes.
Difficulties in wielding the `big stick' aside, Deputy Housing and Local Government
Minister Datuk M. Kayveas yesterday said that something could and should be
done to arrest the matter.
Teachers' houses
unfit for occupation 03/01/2002 NST
KUALA TERENGGANU, Wed. - A hundred units of houses for teachers
in Kemaman cannot be occupied as the authorities have not issued the certificate
of fitness. State Education director Razali Ismail said the delay could be
attributed to the failure of the contractors in meeting the specifications
when building the houses.
SPN ready to
take over construction of teachers' quarters 03/01/2002
BT
SYARIKAT Perumahan Negara (SPN) yesterday expressed its willingness
to take over the construction of 10,000 units of teachers' quarters which
are facing delays if asked to do so by the Government. SPN chairman Datuk
Zahid Hamidi said the company has the capacity and expertise to carry out
the task based on its current performance and its future and current projects.
Selangor sets
up State Housing Board 04/01/2002 NST-CITY
THE Selangor Government has set up a State Housing Board, which
will be modelled along the lines of the Singapore Housing Development Board.
The board will study the strategies used by its Singapore counterpart (HDB),
and draw up master plans and regulations aimed at tackling housing problems
in the State.
Association:
Supervise construction work well 05/01/2002 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Fri. - Architects and engineers must supervise
the work of construction workers to overcome the problem of sub-standard workmanship
and materials used in the construction industry. House Buyers Association
secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said the workers should not work independently
as architects and engineers were entrusted with the task of supervising their
work.
New Housing Act kicks in on
Feb 1 07/01/2002 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Sun. - The Housing Development Act 2001, with
stronger safeguards for house buyers, will come into force on Feb 1 when it
is gazetted. Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting
said the new Act would better address problems faced by house buyers.
Buyers: Stalled mall project yet
to resume work 08/01/2002 The Star
PENANG: Shoplot buyers of the stalled Bayan World Megamall are upset that
work on the RM75mil project has yet to resume after nearly four years.A spokesman
for the purchasers, Ang Thean Hock, said the five-storey megamall project
was only 60% completed although the Penang Develop-ment Corporation (PDC),
which holds 30% stake in the company, had set a new deadline for its completion
in December this year.
CFs for Semenyih houses
08/01/2002 NST-CITY
SOME 2,000 families living along Jalan Semenyih will receive their certificates
of fitness once their water supply problem is solved, thanks to a RM45 million
main water-pipe project from Kajang to Beranang, Selangor. The project, carried
out by the Selangor Waterworks Department, will provide enough water pressure
to supply water to houses along the 13- kilometre-long road.
Developers urged to set aside
land for halls, basketball courts 09/01/2002 NST
MALACCA, Tues. - Local councils and developers have been asked
to allocate ample land within their project areas for the construction of
multi- purpose halls and basketball courts. Housing and Local Government Minister
Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said such facilities would help foster racial harmony
and enable everyone to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Why RM1.2b teachers' housing
project delayed 09/01/2002 NST
SHAH ALAM, Tues. - The company awarded the RM1.2 billion project to build
10,000 units of teachers' quarters said the delay in completing the work was
due to difficulties in raising funds. Other factors were it had to ensure
that the 109 sites identified by the Government were suitable and also it
had to fulfil requirements imposed by relevant agencies.
No sinking fund to repair lifts
09/01/2002 MM
THE lifts at Block 8 of the Taman Miharja Flat off Jalan Loke Yew, break down
frequently, resulting in residents being forced to climb the stairs. One of
the residents, MANI, says the lifts have not been working since Deepavali
last year.
Thumbs up from young executives
10/01/2002 MM
THE Selangor State Government's proposed House Ownership Scheme For Young
Executives, scheduled to be introduced by April, has been welcomed with a
big sigh of relief. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo announced the
scheme after the State's Exco members weekly meeting at the Sultan Salahuddin
Abdul Aziz Shah building in Shah Alam yesterday.
Selangor offers 50pc cut for
strata title applications 10/01/2002 BT
THE Selangor Government is offering between 30 and 50 per cent discount to
property owners and housing developers applying for strata titles, Menteri
Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said yesterday. He said discount on
the fee charged for the transfer of qualified title to final title will be
in force for six months effective February 1.
Ensuring all high-rise buildings
switch on decorative lights 10/01/2002 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. - The Cabinet today decided that all new high-rise and
big buildings must be installed with decorative lights when the Uniform Building
by-laws are amended. Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong
Ka Ting said the new by-laws, which would come into force by the end of the
year, would ensure building plans incorporate lightings as a condition for
approval.
Buyers not interested in reviving
abandoned projects 11/01/2002 MM
SOME buyers of abandoned housing projects have no interest in reviving them.
This was what the government discovered after conducting in-depth studies
into such projects. Of the 156 abandoned projects that were looked at, about
20 per cent of such projects in Peninsular Malaysia fell into this category.
Most of the buyers who declined to have the projects revived had only paid
the 10 per cent deposit. This is in contrast to those buyers who have paid
up to 80 per cent of the purchase price. These buyers undoubtedly were keen
on having the projects in question revived. The study also revealed that only
52 abandoned projects were still viable.
National Conference on Building
Control 10/01/2002 MM
ALTHOUGH the role of building surveyors has not been highlighted much, players
in the industry agree that the profession is beginning to gain recognition
from the government and the broader property industry as being an important
source of knowledge and expertise to address the issue of quality in development.
As such, the upcoming National Conference on Building Control on Jan 22 and
23 this year organised by the Building Surveying Division of the Institute
of Surveyors Malaysian will benefit among others building surveyors, building
control staff from local authorities, engineers, architects, design consultants,
construction managers and contractors, building and facilities managers and
even lecturers and university students.
`Flats need management bodies'
14/01/2002 NST
BUKIT BERUNTUNG, Sun. - It is necessary to set up management corporations
to cope with the growing number of high-rise apartments in the State and Kuala
Lumpur, Hulu Selangor District Council president Zainal Abidin Arshad said.
It was important for flat owners to understand that on top of the assessment
fee they paid to the local authority, they would be required to pay another
fee for maintenance
Problems with strata titles the main complaint
15/01/2002
The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Problems with strata titles have replaced shoddy workmanship
as the new menace for housebuyers, according to statistics compiled annually
by the House Buyers Association (HBA).In its tabulation of complaints received
last year, strata titles was the main grievance against developers, comprising
26% of the 1,260 grouses from buyers.
Customers unite!
16/01/2002 MB By Johnson Pang
MY attention was drawn to a recent report in a local daily. According to it,
a group of enterprising and concerned bank customers have formed a pro tem
committee for the Association of Bank Customers (ABC), which `aspires to be
an effective non-governmental organisation (NGO) championing the interests
of bank customers and increasing awareness of their rights ... customers unhappy
with the local banking service or dissatisfied with some of the rules imposed
by financial institutions now have a proper avenue to channel their grievances
to ....' Having been actively involved in the banking and finance industry
for umpteen years, I can understand the disappointment and frustration encountered
when a customer meets with a problem/issue and does not appear to be able
to get a satisfactory response or solution. Thus, this is another good avenue
to turn to and it deserves our strong support!
Two-year wait ends for bungalow
buyers 19/01/2002 NST-CITY
DESA Subang Permai Phase 1 and 2 bungalow house owners in Section U2, Shah
Alam, will soon get their houses as the contractors have given their undertakings
to deliver the houses by end of April. The project, which began in November
1998, was supposed to have been completed by November and December 2000 for
Phase 1 and 2 respectively, but due to "technical matters", construction was
stopped.
Consumer rules
19/01/2002 NST-PROP
A sure sign of a progressing nation is the ability of its people to comment
upon and yes, even criticise their environment. Their dialogue, as long as
it's constructive, should be applauded, while any silence should be deemed
not as the sound of fear, but as quiet nods of agreement.
Championing
buyers' rights 19/01/2002 NST-PROP
BUYING a home is an important event in a person's life; it is the single biggest
capital investment that a person will undertake in his or her lifetime. You
would expect, therefore, that such an experience would bring a sense of achievement
and joy to those who pursue it. The reality, though, is different. We've all
heard first hand accounts or read in the newspapers about house buyers ending
up with the short end of the stick when the housing projects they bought were
abandoned, delivered late, or of poor quality. Many house buyers suffer in
silence and are further bewildered when they are let down by the relevant
authorities who were supposed to have enforced the law to protect their interest.
Housing Development Act to be
gazetted Feb 28 21/01/2002 NST
BANTING, Sun. - The Housing Development Act drawn up to afford more protection
to housebuyers will be gazetted on Feb 28, Deputy Housing and Local Government
Minister Datuk M.Kayveas said today. The Act which had been earlier approved
by Parliament replaces the Housing Developers Act 1966.
Adopt common customers'
charter, ministry tells depts 23/01/2002 The Star
PETALING JAYA: All departments and agencies under the Housing and Local Government
Ministry have been directed to adopt a common customers’ charter to ensure
effective public service, said its minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting. This would
be possible with the implementation of the Guideline Process on Building Plans
Approval.
City Hall to meet public twice
a month to solve woes 23/01/2002 BT
KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has set aside the two working Saturdays in a
month to meet the public to resolve their problems, Datuk Bandar Datuk Mohmad
Shaid Mohd Taufek said yesterday. He said "Meet The Clients Day" will start
this Saturday from 9am to 12 noon at the City Hall building in Jalan Raja
Laut, Kuala Lumpur.
Maintenance fees collected
but no services 25/01/2002 NST
I STAY in a low-cost flat in Taman Cengal Utama. My problem is that the developer
has demanded RM600 upfront annually for maintenance fees. This will be equivalent
to RM50 per month. I understand the responsibility of paying such fees but
I also understand that the amount to be paid must be justified with the facilities
and service provided.
Power to change
26/01/2002 NST-PROP By House Buyers Association
THE Housing Development (Control & Licensing) Act scheduled to be gazetted
next month gives the Ministry of Housing and Local Government vast powers
to control, license and to take action against irresponsible developers. The
Minister of Housing and Local Government has been vested with the powers to
make rules and regulations governing the industry. The House Buyers Association
urges the Minister to exercise these for the benefit of house buyers, who
have long been at a disadvantage. This includes looking into the standard
sale and purchase agreement, or SPA (Schedule G for land and building and
Schedule H for subdivided buildings).
Ministries to hold monthly
open day 27/01/2002 NSUNT
KUALA LUMPUR, Sat. - The Housing and Local Government Ministry today launched
its "A Day With Customers" programme. Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said
the programme was similar to an open day and involved all departments and
divisions. It is to create awareness.
No end to their water woes
28/01/2002 MM
WATER containers and pails are a common sight at Bandar Rinching Phase 2,
a housing estate where water shortage is a regular problem. And for the last
three weeks, there has been no water supply.
What sells a house
28/01/2002 The Star By Lim Lay Ying
BESIDES location, what would actually prompt people to pay top dollar for
a home? Are house buyers convinced by square footages and/or number of bedrooms
and bathrooms to pay a premium in today’s marketplace?
What's standard definition
of built-up area 29/01/2002 NST
WE are a group of purchasers of double-storey houses in Puchong. When we bought
the properties, it was clearly stated in the sales form that the house would
have a built-up area of 1,820 square feet.
Interest increasing due to
loan delay 29/01/2002 MM
INTEREST charges for a housing loan taken by KALAI is increasing by the day
and she claims that this is because the EPF has delayed payments. KALAI says
she submitted a form to EPF on Dec 12 to withdraw some money from her savings
to purchase a house.
Tough going at Taman Jasmin
30/01/2002 NST-CITY
FOR six years, residents of Taman Jasmin at Jalan Semenyih, Kajang, have been
living without town services like rubbish collection, streetlights, grass-cutting
and maintenance of drains. The residents, said to number thousands, have been
waiting for certificates of fitness to be issued by the Kajang Municipal Council
(MPKJ) since they moved into the homes.
Bangunan mesti ada Perakuan
Bomba mulai Ogos 30/01/2002 BH
KUALA LUMPUR, Selasa - Mulai 1 Ogos ini semua bangunan baru dan lama diwajibkan
mempunyai Perakuan Bomba (PB) bagi memastikan kelengkapan keselamatan kebakaran
mencukupi dan berkeadaan baik. Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Datuk
Seri Ong Ka Ting, berkata pemilik bangunan yang gagal mendapat perakuan itu
boleh didenda RM5,000 atau penjara tiga tahun atau kedua-duanya mengikut Seksyen
33 Akta Perkhidmatan Bomba 1988 (341).
Council link for residents
31/01/2002 NST-CITY
TO strengthen ties between the Subang Jaya Municipal Council
and residents, a special Internet portal will be set up for the 23 housing
estate committees in the municipality. The link to the council (MPSJ) website
acts as an alternative communication channel between the council and residents.
