Kota Kinabalu: The Local Government and Housing Ministry has engaged a senior lawyer from an agency to ensure its laws and regulations are current.
“The purpose is to guarantee that enactment and regulations in this Ministry stay adequate and relevant to the current demands, as well as to update old laws or enactment,” said its Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
He said this in his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, responding to housing sector development questions.
He said the Ministry is evaluating housing developer legal provisions, with the Sabah Law Society on amending the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Enactment, 1978.
After the study is concluded, it will be presented in the State Legislative Assembly.
He also noted Platinum Tower @ 1 Sulaman and Gold Tower @ 1 Sulaman, which the previous developer abandoned owing to financial issues.
“My Ministry created a special committee to address this issue. The Ministry settled the Platinum Tower @ 1Sulaman issue, which received a Certificate of Occupancy on October 4, 2022. While for the Gold Tower @ 1Sulaman issue, the Ministry has discussed it with the Liquidator and was informed that the nomination of a rescue contractor (White Knight) will be made in the near future when the settlement scheme agreement for Gold Tower is reached,” he said.
On “abandoned” projects in Beaufort, Masidi said the Beaufort projects in question are sick projects that the developer will complete after PRIMA and the contractor resolve their dispute.
“Weak financial management from the main contractor, unavailability of building materials at the project site, and unpredictable weather conditions are the key reasons for the PR1MA project delay,” he said.
On the status of the sick project; 1Jesselton in Kepayan and Triconic in Penampang, he said for the 1Jesselton development project built by Binapuri Sdn Bhd, the Ministry has held several meeting sessions with home buyers and developers to resolve the issue of housing project delays.
He said that based on a report from the developer’s consultant, the project only has 12.5 per cent left to complete.
“The Ministry was also informed that the developer has appointed a new contractor to continue the remaining work on the housing project until the Certificate of Occupancy is obtained.
“The appointed contractor is Syarikat LM Partners Sdn Bhd which has started construction work on Oct 3, 2022, and is expected to be completed in July 2023,” he said.
For the Triconic development project, the reason for the delay in appointing a new housing development is due to a dispute between several interested parties, namely the developer, the bank and the buyers.
In order to find a solution for the implementation of this project, the bank has taken over the management of the original company, Unicorn Tower Sdn Bhd, and has appointed a consulting firm, UHY Advisory (KL) Sdn Bhd, as the official receiver on behalf of the bank to take over the management of Unicorn Tower Sdn Bhd.
“So far, the action that has been taken by the official receiver is to invite several rescue contractors to submit proposals for the implementation and completion of this project. For the purpose of this matter, the official receiver has issued an advertisement on March 7, 2022,” he said.
Regarding the settlement of fire victims in Kg Bangau-Bangau and Kg Simunul, he said a resettlement area had been identified for Bangau-Bangau fire victims involving some 233 houses with 383 family heads.
He said this information has been submitted to the Public Works Department as the executor appointed by the State Government to implement this relocation project.
While for Kg Simunul fire victims, a total of 189 household heads have been placed in the Bubul Ria People’s Housing Project (PPR) on a rental basis.
On the status of PPR in Sabah, Masidi said all PPR statuses in Sabah is still PPR Rented scheme status.
“This is so that low-income people have the same opportunity to live in PPR houses.
“The PPR house is considered a temporary residence until they can afford another house. When they move out, the vacated PPR house can be rented by another family,” he said.
He also said there is no plan to construct a PPR in the old Tawau Airport area.
As for the PPR applications for squatters living behind the Petronas squatter area in Elopura, he said, the Sandakan Municipal Council has conducted a census in the area and found that there are 109 houses involved.
A total of 89 houses belonged to Malaysians, while 20 are foreigners.
“The Council has taken note and made considerations for the citizens involved in the demolition to be placed in any PPR in Sandakan but currently, all existing PPR house lots are full.
“However, they will be given priority in filling if there is a vacancy later,” he said.