Frustrated homeowners want to move into their incomplete low-cost flats

Saturday, 05 November 2011 10:15

NUSAJAYA: More than 300 frustrated homeowners are threatening to move into their partially constructed low-cost flat units in Taman Desa Kempas as they cannot stand waiting anymore.

The residents claim that they paid between RM22,000 and RM80,000 for each of the units since 2001 but the project has yet to be completed.

The project was initially slated for completion in 2003.

The homeowners committee representative Chong Soon Ping, 41, said they would protest by moving into the incomplete units in December even if it meant living without water and electricity supply.

"It is extremely frustrating as most of the residents have been servicing monthly bank loans of between RM170 and RM600 since the project first started in 2001.

"At the same time, we also have to fork out money to pay for our rented house and we are poor people, it really adds to our burden," said the construction worker.

Chong said the RM80,000 units were 80% complete while the RM22,000 units were only 40% complete.

Cleaner Faridah Ban, 45, said she had no qualms in using candles after moving into her unit even if it may land her in trouble.

"I have paid over RM15,000 instalments including interest for my three-room flat and I feel that I have every right to move into my own house.

"The matter has been dragging for so long even after complaining to the developers and holding a dialogue session with them and the Housing and Local Government Ministry in July, yet nothing has been done," said the mother of three.

Single mother Rahimah Mohd Subairek, 43, hoped the houses would be completed soon as she was feeling the pinch by surviving on her monthly salary of RM1,200.

"I cannot afford to pay two house payments on top of living expenses and my child"s expenditures," she said.

They were among 20 homeowners who voiced their dissatisfaction after handing over a memorandum to an official representing Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman in Nusajaya.

The residents are hoping for Abdul Ghani to intervene and help resolve their problems.

Permas public complaints centre supervisor Syed Othman Syed Abdullah, who organised the press conference said an officer at the Mentri Besar"s office said he would schedule a slot for Abdul Ghani to visit to the housing site as soon as possible.

When contacted, Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian said he had written a letter to the Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary general on Tuesday.

"We will hold a meeting as soon as possible with the related departments to discuss on a designated developer to complete the project as the current developers have been blacklisted and the project is now classified as abandoned," he added.

Osman added that the project consisted of 611 units of low cost flats.

From The Star