Cabinet gets list of errant local authorities

The Star 04/05/2002

IPOH: The Housing and Local Government Ministry submitted last month its first report to the Cabinet on local authorities that have not issued certificates of fitness (CFs) within 14 days.

Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said, however, the names of the errant local authorities had not been included in the report so as to give them another chance to buck up.

“Those local authorities found to be still defiant and stubborn will find themselves reported to the Cabinet, which will then notify the respective state governments to take action,” he told reporters after launching Ipoh City Council’s e-rancang (e-planning) system yesterday.

Ong said the decision to collect information and compile data on local authorities not following regulations was made by the National Council of Local Government a few years ago.

The decision, he said, was made after the ministry had received complaints from housing developers and house buyers about additional red tape introduced by the local authorities when issuing CFs.

He added that CFs should be issued within 14 days upon receiving approval from agencies dealing with utilities and sewerage as well as the Fire and Rescue Department and Public Works Department.

“If the local authority does not issue the CFs within 14 days, saying that it has to conduct further inspections, it is already contravening the regulations.

“The local authorities need not check anything further after the relevant agencies have done so but should just issue the Form E, (which will lead to approval of the CF),” he said.

Ong added that the report submitted last month also covered local authorities, which had not been adhering to their respective clients’ charters.

The e-rancang will allow architects and developers to send in their building plans online for approval.