Ong: Deliver or pay up

The Sun 12/04/2004 By Husna Yusop

Putrajaya: Housing developers cannot escape paying late delivery fees unless the delay was caused by a natural disaster or where the buyers agree to waive it.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said otherwise, he sees no reason to sacrifice the interest of buyers by exempting builders.

"There are applications (from developers), coming up to the ministry now and then, asking me to use my powers as a minister to extend their delivery period so they will be exempted from paying the late fees.

"For the last four years, I have been rejecting such applications and have never given in, except when there has been natural disaster or when both sides have agreed on certain things.

"Otherwise, I will not sacrifice the buyers' interest through a lopsided decision," he said after launching Cyberia SmartHomes community centre in Cyberjaya yesterday.

Asked if there were many such cases, he said there were "a number" of developers who always tried to give reasons for late delivery.

Ong also said that as of Tuesday, the Housebuyers Claims Tribunal has resolved 2,025 of 5,178 cases. Of these, most concerned late delivery and defects. He said the ministry is expanding the seven member tribunal by appointing another three members.

"We have received the proposed names from the Bar Council. They are people qualified and experienced in (the) legal field. I am confident that with a bigger group, it can resolve more cases," he said.

Asked about the case of a housing developer who in February defied a Court of Appeal decision ordering them to pay RM1.2 million in compensation to 104 house buyers, he said most of them had paid up.

"A few, however, are still appealing to the court. We are watching them very closely,"  he said.

Ong also said that 97 local authorities have implemented the one-stop centre concept to certificate of fitness. The ministry and the chief secretary to the government have been told to monitor the concept's implementation.

The centre is to speed up issuance of CFs by centralising all agencies involved in order to root out corruption.