Developer: Workmanship not cause of defects
04/02/2008 The Star

IN response to the articles in the StarMetro on Jan 21 and Feb 1 on cracks in houses in Taman Bukit Mewah Phase 1, Kajang, JPS Consulting Engineers Sdn Bhd wishes to clarify a few points.

The independent firm was previously engaged by the Kajang Municipal Council and the developer of Taman Bukit Mewah Phase 1 to investigate the possible causes.

In its statement, JPS stated that the concerned houses were constructed and completed in 1990 and the cracks only appeared in 1999, likely due to external factors beyond the developer's control.

The statement maintained that the defects or cracks were not due to poor workmanship or inadequate structural and foundation design as a majority of the houses under Phase 1 were unaffected.

The defects and cracks were due to seepage of water under the house footprints from an external source outside Taman Bukit Mewah Phase 1 a long time after the completion of the houses concerned.

The statement also said the lack of proper drainage within the upper hill development also caused the water seepage and that the drainage system could not support the volume of surface water runoff.

As such, the causes leading to the problems are beyond the control of the developer.