80 cases before Housing Tribunal so far
14/02/2003 The Star

PETALING JAYA: The Housing Tribunal, set up on Dec 1 following the enforcement of the Housing Development Act 2002, has received 80 cases as at the end of last month, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting.

“The cases submitted include those where the sale and purchase agreements were signed before Dec 1,” he told reporters after launching the LBS Bina Group Bhd Property Fair 2003 and RM1mil Grand Draw 2002 here yesterday.

He added that most of the cases filed pertained to late delivery of houses.

“The tribunal is currently evaluating whether the claims can be heard. If a hearing is needed, it will be convened soon,” he said.

Ong was confident the tribunal chairman would conduct the hearings well.

“The Tribunal will act according to the law and conduct its duties independently and professionally,” he said.

He said the Government would not be able to use its discretion any more as the Act had been approved by Parliament and everyone - developers and house-buyers alike - had to follow the Act.

He advised developers to fulfil their contractual obligations.

“Nobody is above the law,” he warned.

Meanwhile, Ong announced that property developer LBS Bina was donating RM200,000 to the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) development fund.

Earlier in Kuala Lumpur, Ong said the response to Utar fund-raising campaigns had been encouraging.

“People know that Utar will help poor students from all the communities and those from Chinese independent schools,” he said when launching a Utar fund-raising campaign in Petaling Street.

The campaign was organised by Rombongan Kesentan Kheng Phung Loke which aims to raise RM100,000 for Utar. It will hold a dinner in Petaling Street on Monday.