Sarawak Reform Party (Star) secretary-general Simon Tiong has called on the state Housing Ministry to look into the issue of homebuyers being unable to obtain their property’s land titles.
To protect homebuyers, the ministry should carry out enforcement under the law which included the Housing Development (control and licensing) Regulation 2014 and the Enforcement of Housing Development (control and licensing) Ordinance 2013, he said.
“The ordinance is a complete set of law that can protect buyer and developer. Why are there still many abandoned projects and housebuyers unable to obtain their land titles?”
He cited the case of Ong Chung Siew, a 41-year-old buyer who is still waiting for his house’s land title.
Ong revealed that he began servicing the housing loan from 2012.
“The Occupational Permit has already been issued but until now I have yet to see the land title. I have tried calling the developer but they could not be reached.”
Ong noted that the house was partially completed when it was delivered to him, forcing him to spend his own money for the necessary things.
On 9 September 2015, Tribunal for Housing Purchase Claims Sarawak president Datuk Maznah Dasmi ordered the developer to pay Ong RM10,200 as compensation for delaying the completion of the project from 17 August 2012 to 17 June 2015.
“Housing Ministry should implement the build-and-sell policy and ensure that land titles are released to buyers so that they will not become victims,” said Ong.
Mangalesri Chandrasekaran, Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email mangales@propertyguru.com.my
