SPEECH TEXT
by Secretary-General, Chang Kim Loong
National House Buyers Association, Malaysia
Taman Putrijaya Cheras Phase 3 & 4, Handover of Keys Ceremony
15th June, 2003 10.30am
Salam
Sejahtera
YB Dato’ Peter Chin Fah Kui, Deputy Minister of Housing & Local Government
Ir. Yusof Ali, Bahagian Pengawasan dan Penguatkuasa, Min. of Housing and
Local Government
YB Dato’ Hoh Hee Lee, Assemblyman for Balakong
Pn Bibi, Wakil Majlis Perbandaran Kajang
Ir Foong Choy Chye
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Introduction
HBA thank the chairman, Ir. Foong and Taman Putrijaya Protem Committee for
inviting us to this event on this Father’s Day Sunday morning.
I am Chang Kim Loong, the secretary-general of National House Buyers Association
and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce my fellow Council
members, YBhg Brigadier-General (R) Datuk Goh Seng Toh, Mr. Albert Soo and
Mr. Wilson Tan.
Before we go any further, let me impart some information on what our association
is all about. HBA is a national, non-profit, non-government, non-political,
voluntary public interest organization incorporated in and under the laws
of Malaysia. Our motto is “strive for buyers’ rights and interests”. All
HBA Central Executive Council, are unpaid volunteers donating their time,
money, and resources for the success of the organization.
House Buyers Unite
We are proud that Ir Foong the chairman and prime mover of this housing
project’s committee is also one of our council members. And we are glad
too that this committee headed by Ir Foong has successfully heeded our call
that house buyers unite and formed Taman Putrijaya Cheras Phase 3 & 4 PTC.
This is one of our success story. Without the few interested and dedicated
house buyers in any problematic project to spearhead the forming of a committee,
the probability of getting anywhere would be so slow or nothing.
Form community groups
We have always advice house buyers to form groups. We advocate self help
as complete reliance on others, such as developers or the authorities, to
look after your interest is not wise. Your resident group should act as
the “eyes and ears” of the authorities. A united group with common interest
generates synergy that equips you to better resolve outstanding issues.
House buyers have the advantage of numbers. Even political pressure may
be generated because, as the saying goes, politics is a game of numbers.
Form groups to stand up and demand for better services from your developer.
Or, from your local council. This one here is a call by the Minister in
the Prime Minister’s department, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, just recently published
in the media. Every housing project, big or small, becomes a community of
owners sharing common areas, roads, parks and woes (if any). With such shared
ownership comes shared responsibility and co-owners must come together in
an association to protect their interest.
Culture change
More often than not, ordinary owners are only interested in their purchase
and most do not consider their part in the community. Some has never lent
a helping hand, but enjoy it when the committee has worked hard to achieve
success. Some, once they have gotten their property, they don’t care any
more and becomes incommunicable. This culture must change as the caring
for one another in the community can only improve your life and not make
it worse.
From our dealings with aggrieved house buyers, we found out that some of
them when faced with problematic projects become ashamed to even talk about
one of the most significant financial crises they are facing. House buyers
after house buyers revealed how the situation has done to them, not only
financially but emotionally. They are afraid to appear to be foolish and
victims of wayward Developers. However, hiding your head in the sand, will
not solve problems. Think about your children, your children’s children.
Do you want them to go through the same problems you have experience? We
at the HBA, hope not. Our strongest objective is that the future generations
of house buyers will have it easier and that is in: stronger protection
through the laws; full support of the monitoring and enforcement departments
and unity of informed house buyers.
Developing community
In the quest for making profits, developers usually forget they are creating
new communities every time a new project is launched. Unfortunately, many
developers do not understand the importance of working with owners so that
they will be prepared for community living.
In fact, some developers to do not want to encourage such associations and
refuse to recognise these associations of buyers for fear that they will
be too conscientious in reviewing the developer’s activities. Although,
the house buyers will still be able to connect with the rest, it is a time
consuming way. We urge the Ministry of Housing to make it compulsory for
developers to release the list of buyers in projects with problems when
requested. This will save everyone involved a lot of time and trouble.
How Local Councils can help communities
Local Council must acknowledge the fact that house buyers (a.k.a rate payers)
are the basis for their existence. Whenever aggrieved house buyers seek
their existence, they should render their services to them dutifully and
expediently. In actual fact, Local Councils should be the first to know
if house buyers are facing problems in a project in their area.
Conclusion
In ending, we would you like to remind you all that this event here today
is also the opportunity for you to know your neighbours. You have shared
hard times, share the good times too. Keep the committee active & alive
with “gotong-royongs”, family days, environmental care days, etc and take
turns to volunteer in the community.
You are also welcome to help other house buyers by volunteering with HBA.
We hope to be invited to more functions like this. It is so much refreshing
to see faces of happy house buyers.
Thank You.
