This website is
 

 Welcome    Main    Forum    FAQ    Useful Links    Sample Letters   Tribunal  

HBA in the News

More Pages 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

 - PAGE 08 -

1. We need more enforcement 11/01/2006 NST By BRIG JEN (R) DATUK GOH SENG TOH
   AS the nation reacts to the unfortunate death of Dr Liew Boon Horng, who died in a worksite accident in Sri Hartamas recently, let us look at the overall situation. I notice that the parties directly related to the subject are voicing their concern and saying it is not their fault the accident happened.

2. Cheaper legal fees spells good news for buyers 14/01/2006 NST
   HOUSE buyers have welcomed the "significantly lower" legal fees for standard Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs) which came into effect on Jan 1, 2006 under the Solicitor's Remuneration Order 2006. The order, made under the Legal Profession Act, replaces the Solicitor's Remuneration Order 1991.

3. A season of hope ... 14/01/2006 NST By Salleh Buang
   HIGH on my wish list for 2006 is an end to the perennial problem of abandoned housing. The reason is that while I am an optimist by nature, past events have made me realise that the build-then-sell concept becoming reality stands a very slim chance. The realist in me says that for as long as we stick to our old practice of selling, then building abandoned projects will continue to feature in our landscape in the years ahead. Despite being mooted by none other than Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi early last year, I have no confidence at all that build-then-sell will gain momentum - or get past Cabinet to become a brand new Executive policy.

4. Set up ombudsman to probe delays, says HBA 21/01/2006 The Star
   KUALA LUMPUR: An independent ombudsman should be set up to investigate delays by the Insolvency Department in tackling outstanding issues. National House Buyers Association (HBA) secretary-general Chang Kim Loong, who made the call, said the proposed ombudsman should investigate and make recommendations to do away with redundant practices and to streamline and resolve matters.

5. Let developers bear the risk 10/02/2006 NST By BRIG JEN (R) DATUK GOH SENG TOH
   I WOULD like our readers to spare a thought for the thousands of victims of abandoned housing projects. They must be suffering varying degrees of financial hardship having lost their hard-earned savings and being lumbered with having to pay interests for their housing loans.

6. Extend facility to all buyers 14/02/2006 NST By CHANG KIM LOONG
   WE applaud the new loan scheme to exempt civil servants who are victims of abandoned housing projects from having to service the interest on their first loan and having regular "pay deductions" against their loan, to ease their financial burden.

7. Desak segera laksana 'bina kemudian jual' 18/02/2006 BH
   KUALA LUMPUR: Empat pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO), termasuk Majlis Peguam semalam meminta kerajaan supaya segera menggantikan amalan penjualan rumah 'jual kemudian bina' oleh pemaju ketika ini kepada 'bina kemudian jual.' Majlis Peguam bersama-sama Persatuan Pembeli Rumah (HBA), Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca), Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP) dan wakil pembeli tiga projek perumahan terbengkalai, bersependapat amalan 'jual kemudian bina' tidak melindungi pembeli sekiranya sesuatu projek perumahan terbengkalai.

8. Empower HBA to protect house buyers 18/02/2006 NST By V. Thomas
   RECENTLY, housing developers and buyers have been airing their views in the media regarding an issue affecting the housing industry as presently constituted, and in the process, adding fuel to the debate about whether the build-then-sell (BTS) method of housing delivery should be favoured (over the current sell-then-build system).

9. Ajar pemaju ingkar perintah 19/02/2006 Kosmo
   SIAR nama pemaju ingkar! Demikian gesaan Persatuan Kebangsaan Pembeli Rumah (HBA) kepada KementerianPerumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (KPKT) bagi menangani masalah sebilangan pemaju yang ingkar dan enggan mematuhi award yang dikeluarkan Tribunal Tuntutan Pembeli Rumah (TTPR).

10. Be proactive, don't wait until house buyers complain 18/02/2006  The Star CHANG KIM LOONG, Secretary-General, National House Buyers Association
    We refer to the call by Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo to amend the Housing Act again so that legal action can be taken against developers who breach terms of the sale and purchase agreements for the provision of basic amenities and road and drainage systems, “Khir: Amend Housing Act again” (The Star, Feb 13).

11. 'Give house buyers a choice' 20/02/2006 New Straits Times By Anil Prabha; Ranjeetha Pakiam; R. Sonia
    Ng said making the "build then sell" system mandatory would affect the country’s home ownership agenda as well as the economy as "60 per cent of developers would go out of business".

12. HBA, will you be my big brother? 25/02/2006 New Straits Times By Chris Prasad
    GIVEN their choice, it appears that house buyers want the National House Buyers Association (HBA), a Non-Governmental Organisation, to slip into bigger shoes and play an institutional role in monitoring housing developments throughout the country in order to safeguard their interests.

13. Bar Council okays build-then-sell 25/02/2006 New Straits Times By Chris Prasad
    According to HBA, the Bar Council's endorsement of the proposal is the first step in a long process to garner support for BTS among industry players.

14. The HBA responds ... 25/02/2006 NST
    WE at the National House Buyers Association (HBA) wish to thank the public for the encouraging vote of confidence. As an association made up of volunteers, it is certainly gratifying and heart-warming to know that we are viewed in such positive light and that our efforts to work for the best interest of buyers have been recognised.

15. NCCC terima banyak aduan perumahan 16/03/2006 BH
    KUALA LUMPUR: Aduan mengenai masalah perumahan dan perkhidmatan syarikat pengurusan perumahan adalah aduan tertinggi diterima Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna Nasional (NCCC), daripada jumlah keseluruhan 18,579 aduan membabitkan 41 kes berlainan yang dicatatkan pada tahun lalu. Pengurus NCCC, Darshan Sigh, berkata bagi masalah perumahan, NCCC menerima 1,164 aduan manakala perkhidmatan pengurusan perumahan pula 1,097 aduan.

16. Housing law needs major revamp 18/03/2006 NST
    Widespread changes to the Housing Development (Control & Licensing) Act 1966 are needed to protect housebuyers, says the National House Buyers Association (HBA). In a statement to PropertyTimes, Chang Kim Loong, the non-governmental organisation's secretary-general, said voluminous recommendations have been forwarded to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government over a number of occasions.

17. Making sense of the housing conundrum 18/03/2006 NST By Yap Lim Sen
    A property-owning population underpins a stable democracy. In Malaysia, the housing debacle has caused thousands of citizens to lose their savings and thousands more to put up with houses that are poorly built. How much more time do we need before the problem of having to pay for a house long before it is ready can be removed from our society?

18. Housing law needs major revamp 18/03/2006 NST
    Widespread changes to the Housing Development (Control & Licensing) Act 1966 are needed to protect housebuyers, says the National House Buyers Association (HBA). In a statement to PropertyTimes, Chang Kim Loong, the non-governmental organisation's secretary-general, said voluminous recommendations have been forwarded to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government over a number of occasions.

19. All's not well on the sea front  01/04/2006 NST By Salleh Buang
    A COUPLE of weeks ago, while attending a conference in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, my good friend Chang Kim Loong of the National House Buyers Association handed me a brochure of a beachfront project in the area.

20. EPF now allows withdrawals from housing account yearly 11/04/2006 NST
    KUALA LUMPUR: Great news for members of the Employees Provident Fund. They can now withdraw money annually to settle their housing loans. In addition, an EPF contributor can help his or her spouse settle or reduce the housing loan even if the member is not a joint owner of the house.

21. Protection for all parties 05/05/2006 NST By Chang Kim Loong
    THE arguments put forward by members of the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) in "We'll need help from banks" (NST, May 1) cannot be left unchallenged. The whole theme of the letter was to oppose the concept of the build-then-sell model for housing.

22. Kondo bagaikan pangsapuri murah 07/05/2006 Kosmo
    BERDASARKAN statistik yang dikeluarkan Persatuan Kebangsaan Pembeli Rumah, peratusan aduan mengenai penyelenggaraan kediaman bertingkat bertambah daripada empat peratus kepada 21 peratus dari 2000 pingga 2004.

23. Pembeli sentiasa rugi 07/05/2006 Kosmo
    "PIHAK pemaju akan sentiasa menyalahkan pembeli kerana tidak membayar bil penyelenggaraan. Pembeli pula tidak mahu membayar bil kerana tidak berpuas hati dengan perkhidmatan yang diberi. Ini bagai cerita ayam dan telur." Demikian reaksi Setiausaha Kehormat Persatuan Pembeli Rumah Kebangsaan (HBA), Chang Kim Loong, mengenai isu caj penyelenggaraan yang tidak setimpal dengan perkhidmatan.

24. Protect buyers of abandoned projects first: Association 09/05/2006 The Sun
    PETALING JAYA: House buyers laud the government's move to consider extending the housing defects liability period from 18 to 36 months, but feel there are also other pressing issues that deserve attention as well.

25. Rumah siap lebih penting 10/05/2006 Kosmo
    KUALA LUMPUR - Memastikan rumah yang dibeli siap dibina lebih penting dan utama berbanding memberi waranti 36 bulan.

26. Build-Then-Sell will benefit builders too 13/05/2006 NST By Andrew Wong
    THE National House Buyers Association (HBA) is not one-sided in its push for the Build-Then-Sell (BTS) system to ultimately be the country's only method of housing delivery as it is also strongly lobbying for changes to the existing development framework, which would benefit private developers. Among the recommendations it has made to the Government is the lowering of premiums for land conversion, which would lessen their holding costs as well as the setting up of a one-stop centre so developers can shorten the time taken for development approval to within six and nine months.

27. Housing Ministry on the ball 13/05/2006 NST By Dr. G. Parameswaran
    EVERY step prescribed under the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act (the Act) is being taken by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) to minimise the number of abandoned housing projects in the country.

28. Give us a new payment system 19/05/2006 NST By Chang Kim Loong
    WE refer to "Dream homes now nightmare" (NST, May 15). We sympathise with the buyers of Diamond Creek Country Retreat. This tale is an all-too-familiar one heard everywhere.

29. Top tips WM 27/05/2006
    IF you're in the market for a home, heed the advice of the National House Buyers Association (HBA) before launching your search. "Caveat emptor! Let the buyer beware," says Chang Kim Loong, the honorary secretary-general of the (HBA). Buyers, stresses Chang, should thoroughly examine items they are intent on purchasing - and this is especially true when it comes to buying property. "Being an informed buyer lets you enter the world of homeownership with more confidence," he says. Chang's advice for house buyers? Play private eye, and gather as much information as you can before you purchase your property. Here's a few things you should do:

30. Pushing for change 27/05/2006 NST
    THE latest news on whether the Build-Then-Sell (BTS) method of housing delivery will be adopted in the country is that Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting's working paper on it has been finalised for presentation to the Cabinet. However, no mention has been made on when this will be.

31. Free gifts attract but it’s the fundamentals that get house buyers to sign 31/05/2006 NST By Chong Jin Hun
    National House Buyers Association secretary-general Chang Kim Loong admits that local buyers are easily influenced by these sweeteners, which pull them away from the core considerations of location and price.

32. Putting it right  03/06/2006 NST By G. Umakanthan
    But in light of the complaints raised against developers by bodies such as the National House Buyers Association (HBA) - which even demanded that the Housing and Local Government Ministry face up to its duty of making public the list of rogue developers on its web- site - how is Rehda going to help developers keep their chin up, so to speak?

33. Abandoned project woes 05/06/2006 The Star
    According to Housebuyers Association of Malaysia secretary-general Chang Kim Loong, the taxpayers' money is used to pay to revive abandoned projects and, so far, the Government has allocated RM2bil to revive such projects.

34. Selangor's Pre-MCs the way to go 10/06/2006 NST By G. Umakanthan
    PRAISING Selangor for establishing Pre-Management Corporations or Pre-MCs for stratified residential dwellings, the National House Buyers Association (HBA) wants other State Authorities to do the same to protect the interests of residents in multi-storey buildings.

35. Build-sell concept gets big aye  24/06/2006 The Star
    PUTRAJAYA: Both the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) and House Buyers Association lauded the Government’s approval of the build-and-sell concept.

36. Legal action an option 30/06/2006 MM
    CONDO resident Lena Shazal may have the right to sue the developer or managing agent of the property under the Tortious Act. National House Buyers Association secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said certain conditions have to be looked into.

37. Rehda, HBA endorse dual-system approach to housing delivery 01/07/2006 NST By Hana Kamaruddin
    THE Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) and the National House Buyers Association (HBA), which have long been at loggerheads over the build-then-sell (BTS) concept of housing delivery, are finally united in their expression of support for the Government's introduction "in principal" of the scheme. Taking the form of a 10:90 mode, which allows buyers to pay 10 per cent of the purchase price as deposit and the remaining 90 per cent only after their units have been completed, the BTS variant will run alongside the existing sell-then-build (STB) system for two years. After that, it will be reviewed.

38. Harga rumah dijangka meningkat 100 peratus 06/07/2006 BH Oleh Wan Hazmir Bakar; Sazarina Shahrim; Siti Fatimah Mohamed Anwar
    KUALA LUMPUR: Harga rumah dijangka meningkat sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus, malah sehingga 100 peratus di kawasan tertentu, berikutan pelaksanaan konsep bina dan jual.

39. Konsep bina, jual untungkan pembeli  09/07/2006 BM
    RUMAH terbengkalai dan kes pemaju gagal menyiapkan projek mengikut jadual mendorong kerajaan memperkenalkan konsep baru - bina dan jual - diharap dapat melindungi hak pengguna.

40. Show support for BTS, banks urged 15/07/2006 NST By Hana Kamaruddin
    BANKS and financial institutions in the country have been urged to play a bigger role in supporting the Build-Then-Sell (BTS) mode of housing delivery, now that the Government has approved the 10:90 variant of BTS to run in tandem with the existing Sell-Then-Build (STB) system.

41. Give ’em more, says HBA 15/07/2006 NST By Andrew Wong
    THOUGH the National House Buyers' Association (HBA) is happy that the Government is providing the nation's private developers with stimuli to encourage them to adopt the 10:90 Build-Then-Sell (BTS) mode of housing delivery, it feels additional inducements are needed to make the system really fly.

42. Making BTS work 22/07/2006 NST By Salleh Buang
    THE commentary I made early this month on the Government's decision to introduce the 10:90 variant of the Build-Then-Sell (BTS) mode of housing delivery (NST-Property July 1, 2006) has received quite a bit of feedback.

43. 10:90 isn't a Build-Then-Sell system 12/08/2006 NST
    SINCE the Government introduced the 10:90 concept for housing delivery, there have been mountains of news referring to it as a Build-Then-Sell (BTS) system. But they've all got it wrong.

44. End the suffering now 12/08/2006 NST By Yin Ee Kiong, Batu Ferringhi, Penang
    I REFER to the story titled "No such thing as a risk-free business" published in your Viewpoint column last week (NSTProperty, Aug 5, 2006). 

45. Be tough with `rogues' 18/08/2006 NST By Chang Kim Loong
    ROGER Tan's comments on the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill 2006 ("A matter of protecting public interest" - NST, Aug 17) is relevant in the protection of house buyers against rogue lawyers. For purchasers, buying a house is a once-in-a-lifetime transaction.

46. Making 10:90 work 26/08/2006 NST
    WITH the Government allowing the 10:90 concept of housing delivery to run together with the Sell-Then-Build (STB) method, we at the National House Buyers Association (HBA) believe some changes to the housing law are necessary for the former to work.

47. Bajet dorong rakyat miliki kediaman 03/09/2006 BM
    KUALA LUMPUR: Langkah kerajaan membina lebih banyak rumah mampu milik dan memulihkan projek perumahan terbengkalai akan meringankan beban golongan berpendapatan rendah, sekali gus membantu mereka memiliki kediaman sendiri. Presiden Persatuan Pembeli Rumah (HBA), Datuk Goh Seng Toh, berkata majoriti golongan berpendapatan rendah ketika ini perlu membayar sewa rumah pada kadar mahal dan menghalang hasrat untuk memiliki kediaman sendiri.

48. Buyers discover the devil's in the details 11/09/2006 NST By Chok Suat Ling
    THE system will be a boon for house buyers. Pay 10 per cent now and the rest of the purchase price when the houses are completed. But the mechanism to kick-start this is nowhere in sight, writes CHOK SUAT LING.

49. Building and Common Property Bill - ‘Know your role first’30/11/2006 MM By Meera Murugesan
    IT signals an end to house-buyers' woes but property owners and developers must be prepared to handle it. The Building and Common Property (Maintenance and Management) Bill, which would lead to the appointment of Commissioner of Buildings (COB) in every State to handle disputes about management services of high-rise dwellings, is a commendable move, said Chang Kim Loong, secretary-general of the National House Buyers Association of Malaysia.

HBA in the News

More Pages 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9