Builder
sticks by red tape complaint
The Sun 8/6/2005 By Llew-Ann Phang
KUALA LUMPUR: Hotelier and property developer Low Yat Group stands
by its allegations of Penang's "red-tape and numbing bureaucracy",
citing four projects to back its claims.
"I doubt that Penang is as friendly as it claims to be but if Datuk
Dr Teng Hock Nan claims so, then we would like to see some
improvement because it would depend on which side you are sitting
on," said Asia Pacific Land (AP Land) Bhd Group Property director
Loke Mun Kit.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Loke, who was representing Low Yat
Group executive chairman and AP Land group advisor Tan Sri Low Yow
Chuan who is overseas, rebutted the clarification given on Monday by
Teng, the state local government committee chairman.
Teng had refuted Low's allegations saying that the state has
maintained a good relationship with businesses and investors.
"We are not saying that the authorities should give us the approval
overnight but approvals should be provided at a reasonable basis
because the market changes with time," Loke said.
Comparing Penang to other states in which the group has development
projects, he said Selangor and Kuala Lumpur were comparatively
faster but declined to state how much faster, saying it was
"sensitive".
Citing four projects for which the group has forked out millions of
ringgit, he said theoretically, Teng's argument that approvals take
a shorter span of time is his (Teng's) "ideal condition".
"There will always be continuous need for procedure compliance for
the various technical departments falling under the council's
leading role in the approving Development Orders (DO) and Building
Plans before work can begin," he said.
