Housebuyers servicing loan of incomplete project for 12 years

Nothing: Pathmanathan showing the area where his unit was supposed to have been built.

For almost 12 years, 42 housebuyers have been paying monthly instalments of up to RM650 for houses that are only partially complete in Taman Koskan, Sungai Choh, Rawang.

These housebuyers are fed up with excuses given by the developer and urging the state government to intervene to resolve the long-standing issue.

StarMetro carried a report on this issue on Feb 23 last year, and judging by recent visit to the site, nothing much had been done.

These housebuyers had even written letters to the Housing, Building Structure Administration and Squatters committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad, Hulu Selangor MP P. Kamalanathan, Hulu Selangor District Council and the Hulu Selangor Land office.

So far, it has been futile.

Retired government servant K. Pathmanathan, 62, said the issue had been going on for too long and it was time the state government came to the house buyers’ aid.

“This was meant to be my retirement home. There is no structure built on my 5,400 sq ft of land. Where am I going to stay?’’ he asked.

Another housebuyer, Nizam Nor said a group of housebuyers wanted another developer to take over the project.

However, the Hulu Selangor Land office denied permission as the agreement was made between Ehsanibu Sdn Bhd and the Sungai Choh residents committee who comprised the housebuyers.

“We want the state to terminate the developer’s contract and appoint a new developer. We are saddled with this problem as the previous state government wanted us to sign an agreement with the a state appointed developer to build our houses.

“The developer has been giving us the run around and all our houses are only half-complete,’’ he said.

Another housebuyer Jeyaseelan Anthony said the single-storey house project commenced in 2001 and the keys were supposed to have been handed over by 2003.

“The developer said that work was still in progress,” he said.

“Only for the last three years, we saw some progress with water pipes installed but there is no electricity,” said Jayaseelan.

He added that the Hulu Selangor Land office had a meeting with the developer in 2009 and the developer promised that the project would be ready in six months.

“At present we do not have proper roads, water supply and electricity,’’ he said.

Jeyaseelan, 44, a teacher in Rawang, said he had been paying a monthly instalment of RM521.

“Now, the developer wants us to pay a deposit of RM1,710 for electricty and water supply. By right, the developer should compensate us since we have been servicing our loans for so long,’’ he added.

Earlier, a spokesman for the developer said that about 30% of the housebuyers were not qualified to take loans and that complicated the situation.

The housebuyers’ applications for land titles were rejected and this resulted in the project getting stalled.

Selayang Municipal Council councillor Gunarajah R, George, who was present said that he had briefed State Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government committee chairman Dr A. Xavier Jeyakumar on this matter.

By The Star