Flat buyers shocked by find at project site

Wednesday, 15 February 2012 09:23

recently.

They discovered that it was largely built using a type of polystyrene material.

The villagers, who are living in longhouses while awaiting the flats to be completed, were stunned when they went to check on the progress of their new home.

“The contractor is using polystyrene, the same material used in packing crates,” Kampung Bunga Raya longhouse headman S. Perumal said.

“I don’t feel safe as almost every part of the building contains polystyrene.

“I do not know how the authorities approved it in the first place,” he said.

The villagers were moved to the longhouses in 2004 when the land they were occupying nearby was acquired for redevelopment.

They were promised houses at a discounted price in Section U5, Shah Alam.

Some paid RM2,000 each as downpayment for the RM35,000 three-room flat when they entered into a sales and purchase agreement with the developer, Unique Creation Sdn Bhd.

Subsequently, the developer abandoned the project and ELC Management was roped in to complete the project in 2010.

The Alliance of Caring Organi-sations Malaysia (Acom) had organised the visit to the premises for the villagers.

Acom secretary Vijaya Kumar said the group had stepped in to help the villagers.

“We cannot sit around while they are given a raw deal,” he said.

“Luckily, they have not signed any agreement with the new developer. If they did, they would have no choice but to continue servicing their bank loans even if the building falls apart because of the substandard materials,” he added.

“When we inspected the units, I could easily pull off chunks of the polystyrene with my bare hands, but the developer claims it is solid and there is nothing to worry about,” Vijaya said.

He added that the villagers had reported the matter to the police and written to the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) asking the latter to verify that the flats were safe for occupation.

Deputy village head K. Kanan said the developer had also increased the price of the houses to RM42,000 although the state government had earlier fixed it at RM32,577.

From The Star