17/12/2003 The Star

House buyers of three abandoned housing projects in Nibong Tebal may be able to move into their new homes next year.

Purchasers of the Taman Putri Gunung, Taman Kasawari and Taman Jentayu projects have been waiting for their houses for three to four-years.

Following the state's intervention, the developers of the projects agreed to appoint Deloitte KassimChan Business Services Sdn Bhd to act as project manager to oversee the revival of the 474 units of mixed development.

Deloitte executive director Chu Siew Koon said all the abandoned projects had been revived and the appointed contractors had commenced work to complete the unfinished work.

“Deloitte has to liaise with the parties involved to rehabilitate the abandoned projects and iron out several problems.

“We are assisting the affected developers to reschedule loan repayment and get the bridging financiers to allow the developers to defer repayment on the outstanding loans.

“As for the purchasers, they have agreed to defer legal action against the developers for late delivery until the completion of the affected projects,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Later, Chu accompanied the Chief Minister's political secretary Teng Chang Yeow and the housebuyers on a visit to the project sites.

The housebuyers had approached Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to intervene after the projects were abandoned in 2000. The affected houses were between 60% and 80% completed.

Taman Kasawari/Putri Gunung Purchasers Committee chairman Tan Cheong Heng said almost 80% of housebuyers had signed an additional agreement to defer legal action for late delivery against the developers until the completion of the housing project.

“We will wait until we receive the keys to our houses before considering our next course of action.

“The developer must complete the houses as promised because we have waited far too long,” he added.