Honour tribunal awards, errant developers told

The Star 25/3/2003

Kuala Lumpur: The Housing and Local Government Ministry has reminded errant developers to honour awards given by the tribunal on housebuyers' claims or face the possibility of being jailed.

Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk M.Kayveas said under the Consumers Protection Act 1999, the judgement passed by the tribunal president was final and the award should be settled in 14 days.

He said the developer or his representative was liable to be fined RM5,000 or jailed for up to two years for failing to comply.

Kayveas told reporters after attending a tribunal hearing here yesterday that company directors were duty bound to attend the tribunal hearings instead of sending their representatives.

He said in line with the Act, tribunal proceedings would continue even without the presence of the director.

He said because of this provision, house buyer's claims could be resolved within one or two months.

Kayveas said the ministry was considering colour-coding housing developers based on their customer-service records.

"This will help to instil better competition among developers and help to produce quality homes, "he said.

During the hearing, the tribunal awarded sales and marketing manager Bernard Chin Kim Fook and civil engineer Wong Kwai Meng with RM22,000 and RM17,000 respectively over their claims for late delivery of their condominiums from the developer PuncakDana Sdn Bhd.

Tribunal president Kamardin Hashim decided on the amount of the awards when there was no contest from the developer's representative, financial controller Hwang Thian Hwa.

Chin said he was please that the tribunal had come up with the award within two months of filing his claims and said the amount was higher than the developer's offer of RM10,000.

He said three lawyers he approached had told him that his claim could take between 18 months and two years to be heard.