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'Ministry needs to do more for house buyers'
17/10/1999 NST By
MK Megan
Kuala
Lumpur, Sat - The Housing and local Government Ministry is not doing its
job well in solving house buyers problems, the newly-formed House Buyers Association
alleged today.
"That is the reason for forming this association,"
said, pro-tem committee vice chairman Capt (rtd) Mohd Shah Daud, adding that
many house buyers had complained to the ministry directly and through its website.
"But not many problems have been solved. We
found out about this during a seminar on housing problems, organised by the
Selangor and Federal Territory Association last month."
Mohd. Shah said of late some of the problems
had been solved…"that too after being pressured by many quarters including consumer
associations.
"That is one of our objectives. We want to
apply pressure on the ministry and also act as watchdog so that problems concerning
house buyers will be solved quickly."
Among their other objectives, Mohd Shah said,
was to advise their members accordingly. " Not many of them know where to go
when they have a problem with their houses.
"Usually the Housing Ministry's job is done
after the buyers has taken vacant possession of the property.
"After that any complaints pertaining to the
property would come under the jurisdiction of the Land and Cooperatives Development
Ministry. But not many people know that."
He said the ministries had all the acts and
regulations to solve the problems but, more often that not, were slow in acting.
Among the common problems voiced by house
owners was the non-issuance of the certificate of fitness and the lack of electricity
and water supply.
There was also a case, said Mohd. Shah, where
the developer absconded with some RM2 million in down payments from potential
buyers."
"When he was brought to court, he was let
off the hook. The house owners are still paying the bank loans but they have
no property to show.
"How can the ministry allow this to happen?
Someone has to do something and we feel the forming of this association is long
overdue."
House buyers, he said were taking a high risk
by booking a house. "They do not know what the end product would be like or
if there will ever be an end product at all.
"Moving into their own houses should be a
happy occasion … not in anger and frustration and with defects to their properties."
Mohd Shah said they would be writing to the
Housing and Local Government Ministry to be allowed to sit in at a meeting on
Oct 21 where amendments to the existing Acts and regulations would be discussed.
The pro-tem chairman is Datuk Zainuddin Bachik,
secretary is Chang Kim Loong.
House owners with problems can contact the
association at No.31 , Level 3, Jalan Barat, Off Jalan Imbi 55100.
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