By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Nov 4: Urban Development and Resources II Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan says problematic developers in strata development is the main reason causing delay in the issuance of property titles.
He said there are several housing project developers who failed to pay land premium to the Land and Survey Department and for that reason, the government cannot issue the strata titles.
“For this reason the Strata (Subsidiary Title ) Bill 2019 is needed and it was proposed in DUN (Sarawak Legislative Assembly) to help buyers go against these developers,” he told a press conference at his DUN office after tabling the Bill today.
“There was a developer in the city where he failed to pay the land premium even when the government had approved the project. The State government pressured the developer and in the end, he paid the premium. Then we approved the issuance of the titles,” he said.
Awang Tengah who is also Deputy Chief Minister also revealed that there were a few developers who failed to fulfil the approved conditions stated in their projects.
“For example, one of the conditions is that the developers must provide affordable housing and if they do not comply, the government would not issue them the titles.
“The new Bill emphasises that developers and their stakeholders must have professional responsibilities as we want to protect the buyers. That is the gist of the new Bill and I am happy that DUN lawmakers are in support of the Bill which is very comprehensive,” he said.
He asserted that once the Bill was approved by the DUN, then it is mandatory for all developers to apply for the issuance of house titles and they will be given a time frame to do so.
“The Bill is to replace the Strata Titles Ordinance 1995 (Chapter 18) and the law here has been a benchmark to the law that is used in Australia and Singapore for housing projects,” he said.
The Minister of Urban development and Natural Resources II permanent secretary Datu Zaidi Madhi was also present. — DayakDaily
