Revival of abandoned project

15/05/2004 The Star By DHARMENDER SINGH

ACTION should be taken against developers who abandon their projects due to mismanagement, Serdang MP Datuk Yap Pian Hon said. 

“There have been many such cases and these have caused problems to buyers. 

“Some people used their savings to buy houses only to have the project abandoned but still have to pay interest on the bank loans they took,” he said. 

Yap said these buyers had to continue renting houses, placing an additional burden on them. 

Prinsiptek will have to siphon out water from the underground car park at the abandoned project in Serdang Perdana before work can resume.

He said the relevant government agencies should conduct detailed investigations on all stalled projects and if a developer was guilty of mismanaging the project, he should be held accountable. 

This way, developers would take greater care in managing their projects and protect the interest of buyers. 

Yap was speaking to reporters after visiting an abandoned shoplot, service and low-cost apartment project in Serdang Perdana, Seri Kembangan, on Wednesday. 

The project, which was abandoned in 2001, is being revived by Prinsiptek (M) Sdn Bhd, which was appointed turnkey contractor by Pengurusan Danaharta Bhd. 

The project involves the construction of 1,708 shoplots and service apartments, 1,575 of which had already been sold when the project was launched in 1997. 

Also present during the visit were Seri Kembangan assemblyman Datuk Liew Yuen Keong, Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) councillor Lee Tak San, Prinsiptek executive director Foo Chu Pak and business development manager of the original developer, Green Crescent Resources Sdn Bhd, Leow Cheng Keong. 

Foo said the company were conducting checks on the existing infrastructure to determine the amount of repairs needed before construction could begin. 

He said the company expected to complete the shoplots by the end of next year while the apartments should be ready by March 2006. 

The low-cost units for which work has yet to start, are expected to be complete by 2007.  

Yap said he was glad to see the project finally revived as many buyers had been waiting anxiously for their units to be completed. 

He said the project was an eyesore as it was visible from the KL-Seremban Highway and the Sungai Besi Highway and located near the KLIA Express and KTM Komuter tracks. 

Liew said the project was the only abandoned project in Seri Kembangan and he was happy that the meetings to resolve the problem had been successful. 

About 1,000 buyers attended a meeting in February and most of them agreed to have a new contractor take over the project. 

Liew said the buyers were also fortunate because they need not make additional payments.