DPM: Developers must keep their word
NST 28/05/2001

BUTTERWORTH, Sun. - The tendency among housing developers to forget their social obligations must be discouraged by State Governments.

Expressing his dissatisfaction over the number of cases in which buyers had been caused undue hardship by errant developers, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said: "We cannot allow them to conveniently abdicate their responsibilities to the people after they have given their word that they will provide either temporary housing and/or relocate those affected by their projects.

"State Governments must resolve problems faced by the people immediately." Abdullah, who is deputy Umno president, was speaking to reporters after chairing the State Umno Liaison Committee meeting at the Bagan Dalam Umno office.

Earlier Abdullah, Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya, assemblymen Datuk Dr Sak Cheng Lum and Datuk Abdul Latiff Mirasa visited Pantai Kampung Gajah residents affected by the RM410 million Butterworth Outer Ring Road project.

A 30-year concession agreement between the Federal Government and Lingkaran Luar Butterworth (Penang) Sdn Bhd was signed four years ago for the privatisation of the BORR.

LLB is a consortium comprising Rayston Consortium Sdn Bhd and Etika Gemilang (Butterworth) Sdn Bhd. Over 1,000 households have been affected by the 14 km privatised project, which starts from the Prai roundabout and ends at the Sungai Dua junction off the North-South Expressway.

Abdullah, who is MP for Kepala Batas, met the affected residents at Jalan Jeti Lama and directed Koh to ensure that the project's developer wasted no more time in providing temporary housing to those displaced by the project.

"In bringing development to certain areas like these, we must ensure the people are not inconvenienced in any way," he said, adding that arrangements should also be in place for alternative permanent low-cost homes to be made for the residents.
Speaking at the meeting, Koh said the BORR project had to be put on hold by its contractors due to the 1997 economic slowdown which affected all sectors.

He said the company would erect ample housing in the form of longhouses for affected squatters at a site provided by the federal government in Ampang Jajar on the mainland.