Ministry to oversee service apartments

22/07/2003 The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The construction and management of service apartments will soon come under the purview of the Housing and Local Government Ministry through amendments to the Housing Development Act 2002, Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said.

''The Cabinet has agreed in principle to let the ministry look into the affairs of service apartments which to date, do not come under the jurisdiction of any Act,'' Ong told reporters after witnessing the signing ceremony between Nova MSC Bhd and China-based Sino-Overseas Construction Information Co Ltd as well as the launching of Nova MSC’s prospectus here yesterday.

The ministry, he said, had also received the Cabinet’s approval to look into the relevant laws to govern and supervise commercial buildings, shopping complexes and shophouses.

''However, we will need to spend more time on this issue to look at the suitability of the existing laws and whether a new Bill needs to be drafted,'' he added.

On the Housing Tribunal set up in December last year following the enforcement of the Housing Development Act 2002, Ong said there was an increasing number of complaints filed by house buyers.

As at July 18, 2,580 cases were filed under the consumer claims tribunal. Of the total, 549 cases have been settled.