He said affected house buyers of an abandoned project, which was more than 80% completed, could form a committee and take over the role of a developer.

"If an individual buyer proceeded to complete his own unit in an abandoned project,  he would likely face difficulties in getting a certificate of fitness (CF) as it would be difficult to  get facilities like electricity and water supplies.

"It is not possible for utility companies to pull in the cables or provide supplies for just one house.

As such, it is better for house buyers in an area to get together and make it economically viable to resume a near completed project," he said. The house buyers committee could then appoint a contractor to do the job, he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said the Government would provide assistance, including consultation and recommendation of contractors, to interested house buyers committee to take over abandoned projects from failed developers.

However, the committee would have to source their own funding, he said.

"Alternatively, they can engage a new developer," he said.

Earlier in Parliament Dr Subramaniam said the Government was always looking for new approaches to revive
199 abandoned projects since 1999.

To date 92 projects had been successfully revived while 99 projects remained unfinished and eight were deemed "beyond recovery," he said in reply to Hashim Jahaya (BN - Kuala Kedah).