Housebuyers want temporary CF
28/01/2008 New Straits Times By Chuah Bee Kim

MORE than 450 houseowners in Taman JP Perdana in Johor Baru cannot occupy their new houses all because of a tussle between the developer and the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB).

The dispute has caused the council to delay issuing the Certificate of Fitness (CF) to the houseowners.

One of the owners, Rozlin Ramli, 33, said all the buyers were suffering from the tug-of-war.

"The problem lies with the developer's refusal to comply with the guidelines regarding road specifications in the housing estate.

"It involves houses in Phase 8A, 8B and 8D.

"But because of the dispute, all the housebuyers are affected," she said during a meeting with Puteri Wangsa assemblyman Abdul Halim Suleiman.

Several meetings had been held with the developer and mayor of Johor Baru, Datuk Mohd Naim Nasir.

But to date, nothing concrete has been decided.

"We hope MBJB could issue a temporary CF while the developer restructures the road," Rozlin said.

But Mohd Naim said before issuing the temporary CFs, the council had requested all housebuyers to sign a waiver that it would not be sued should the developer fail to fulfil its promise to settle the dispute.

The action committee could only furnish the signatures of 200 housebuyers.

Halim Idris, 37, another house buyer, blamed the developer for being obstinate.

"The developer also failed to forward the banker's guarantee requested by the council so that temporary CFs could be issued."

Halim said with a temporary CF, buyers could at least rent out their properties to ease their financial constraints.

He planned to meet the developer to expedite the issuance of the temporary CFs.

"It is clear the council is not at fault here.

"It is just adhering to the rules and, at the same time, considering the welfare of all those affected."