Builder sticks by red tape complaint

Builder sticks by red tape complaint
08/06/2005 The Sun 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.