Penang acts to revive 17 projects
29/06/2004 The Star By Manjit Kaur

The Penang State Government will help to coordinate efforts to revive 17 abandoned low-cost housing projects in the state.

State Housing, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Syed Ameruddin Syed Ahmad said would get the assistance of Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) and private developers.

Ten of the abandoned projects are on the mainland while the rest are on the island. These projects have been stalled for between five-and-half-years to over 10 years.

Syed Ameruddin said four of the abandoned projects were already in the process of being revived.

A private developer would be assigned to revive Taman Pekatra, while the other three would be taken over by SPNB.

Syed Ameruddin was speaking to reporters after visiting five abandoned projects in South and North Seberang Prai yesterday.

With him were Sungai Acheh assemblyman Mohd Foat Mat Isa, State Insolvency director N.Dharmasegaran and district officers.

It was reported on May 22 that SPNB was trying to revive some 97 abandoned housing schemes affecting 32,460 families. Some projects had been stalled for over 10 years.

Syed Ameruddin said once every fortnight he would request for a report on the latest development on the abandoned projects from officers of the relevant departments.

“The state hopes to expedite the revival of all these stalled projects,” he said.

On the government’s plan to do away with the Certificate of Fitness requirement for new buildings, Syed Ameruddin said Penang had to study the proposal and weigh its advantages and disadvantages.

“I believe we need an independent body to monitor all housing projects to ensure that there are no hiccups,” he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said recently that the government would rely on the declaration from professionals like engineers and architects involved in a project to certify the safety of a building and that it was built based on their specifications.