DAP may gain some votes over strata titles

17/03/2004 The Sun By Arion Yeow and Maria J. Dass

Kuala Lumpur: The DAP candidate to Bukit Bintang parliamentary constituency is hoping that dissatisfaction with delays in the issuance of strata titles would win him some votes.

During a visit to the Palm Court Apartments in Brickfields on Sunday, Fong Kui Lun highlighted the problems of nearly 700 residents in obtaining strata titles.

"This project was completed in 1993 but three of the four blocks are still without strata titles," he said, blaming the failure on the Land and Cooperative Development Ministry.

He said that "after years of fighting", the residents managed to get the developer to submit an application for strata titles but it was rejected because of an error in the number of titles requested.

"All the ministry has to do is get the developer to submit another application," he said.

Fong said the deputy minister, Dr Tan Kee Kwong, visited the apartments on July 4, 2001, and on Jan 22 last year.

He said promises made on the issuance of strata titles have not been kept.

"Former land and cooperative development minister Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam admitted that only one developer was prosecuted for failing to apply for strata titles in 2002, but the House Buyers Association said most of the complaints received in 2001, 2002 and 2003 were on delays in the issuance of strata titles," he said.

Fong promised to voice the resident's concerns directly to the prime minister if re-elected to Bukit Bintang, where he is involved in a four-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional candidate Tan Chew Mooi, Malaysian Democratic Party secretary-general Wee Choo Keong, and an independent, Billi Lim.

Later, during a walkabout to meet voters in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, the deputy minister said delays in obtaining strata titles are the fault of the developers and not the government.

He said these developers only apply for the titles when they start selling the units and not when they lay the foundation stone.

Tan also said 50% of the residents in Palm Court do not pay their service charges.

"Tell me which developer can manage? The residents must do their part by paying up their service charges," he said.