Take action, house buyers urge state
25/05/2007 The Star

A GROUP of about 50 purchasers of three abandoned housing projects in Penang staged a peaceful protest outside the State Assembly building yesterday to highlight their plight.

Carrying a huge banner and placards, the buyers of Fettes Villa, Desa Aman and Majestic Heights urged the state government to take action to resolve their problem.

Several of them were allowed to accompany Penang DAP secretary Danny Law into the assembly building to hand over a memorandum to state Housing, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Syed Amerrudin Syed Ahmad.

Coincidentally, Datuk Dr Loh Hock Hun (BN-Paya Terubong) was raising the issue of abandoned housing projects in the state during the 45-minute protest, which began at 11am.

Dr Loh said abandoned housing projects in Penang were seriously affecting the lower and middle income groups who not only have to service their bank loans but also to pay for their rented homes.

“We try our best to assist the affected purchasers. We have successfully helped those affected by Majestic Heights Phase 1 and the Seri Semarak housing project.

“About 1,500 owners of Ma- jestic Heights received their certificate of fitness for occupation in 2003 and about 500 Seri Semarak buyers got theirs this year.

“This is made possible though the efforts by developers who take over the projects with the close co-operation of buyers and assistance of state government,” he said when debating the motion of thanks on Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abas’ opening address.

He said there were currently 5,000 people affected by abandoned projects of Majestic Heights Phase 2A, 2B and 3A, Desa Aman and Taman Cemerlang in his constituency.

“We earnestly hope that the government will lend a helping hand by giving special concessions to developers who are willing to come forward to complete these projects,” Dr Loh said.

Syed Amerrudin said the state Housing Committee would call for a meeting to look into the matter and to check if the 392-unit Desa Aman project was really abandoned.

He said the Taman Cemerlang project was in the process of being revived.

Law said Desa Aman project was supposed to be completed in 2004 but its 266-unit Block A was now only about 70% completed while the 126-unit Block B was in ground piling stage.