City Hall blamed for delay

City Hall blamed for delay
Malay Mail 7/4/2005 Sam Cheong & Nuradzimman Daim

KUALA LUMPUR: Residents of Menara Orchid and Anjung Villa apartments in Bandar Baru Sentul have taken City Hall to task for the delay in the issuance of their strata titles.

Residents’ Association chairman K. Selvakumar said the residents have been waiting for the titles since 1997, after they obtained their certificates of fitness (CF).

He said more than 700 residents were affected by the delay.

Selvakumar claimed the issue was raised many times but to no avail. He said the schemes were jointly developed by City Hall and a developer.

He said checks revealed that the delay was due to the failure by the developer to pay the land premium arrears to the Federal Territory Land Office.

“We, as residents, have done our part. The onus is on City Hall to resolve the problem,” he said yesterday.

Association secretary Ya zid Sulaiman said: “Under the Strata Title Act, it is the developer’s duty to apply for titles within six months of the certificates being issued.”

Yazid claimed that no application was made and as a result, the developer has RM13 million in arrears with the Land Office.

He said following that, the original developer, GKM Wilayah Precon Sdn Bhd, was replaced by project contractor Bintai-Kidenko Engineering Sdn Bhd in October 2000.

He said he learnt that the company, after taking over, failed in its appeal to the land office to reduce the arrears.

To worsen the matter, he claimed City Hall had apparently asked the land office to extend the payment period for the arrears.

A City Hall spokesman said they are aware of the issue and asked residents to be patient as efforts to resolve it are under way.