Ong: Beware of loophole in housing Act

23/04/2004 The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Local authorities should look out for unscrupulous developers who circumvent the new Housing Development Act by building homes on commercial land. 

Under the present legislation, service apartments and condominiums adjoining shopping malls fall outside the category of “residence” under the Act as they are built on commercial land. 

Housing Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said such dwellings, being commercial entities, do not come within the ambit of the Ministry and the protection of the Act. 

“The only protection buyers get are those entrenched in the Sales and Purchase Agreement with the developer and the only course of action is the courts. They cannot bring the matter to the Housing Tribunal. 

“The local authorities must screen all the housing plans submitted by the developers for approval and make sure they can guarantee delivery,” he told reporters. 

Ong said screening of building plans was the only way to curb developers from exploiting the legislative loophole until a solution was found. 

Ong also met with four representatives of the No Incinerator pro-tem committee fighting to prevent an incinerator being built in Broga at his office yesterday.  

He said he would not comment on the matter until the Environmental Impact Assessment report was ready next month.