Act 118 to be amended to help house buyers of abandoned projects

KUCHING: The Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1996 (Act 118) will be amended to help house buyers of abandoned housing projects, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She said the amendment to the act was being drawn up to address issues concerning abandoned housing projects, as well as to enable stricter action to be taken against developers.

"Under the current law, the developers will only be blacklisted," she told a press conference after opening the Sarawak branch Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) office here today.

The ministry, she said, would also set up a fund where housing developers are required to allocate a certain amount into the fund before they can develop a housing project.

"The fund will be used if the developer were to abandon the project," she added.

Meanwhile, on the opening of the SPNB office, Zuraida said it was one of the agency's rebranding initiatives in Sarawak.

"Members of the public, especially the B40 group in Sarawak, can contact SPNB directly to obtain information on the People Friendly Housing Program (RMR) and to purchase the affordable homes under SPNB," she added.

SPNB has so far built 2,904 housing units in Sarawak, with several other projects will be launched, including in Kuching and Miri involving 2,187 units.

-- BERNAMA