Source from: New Straits Times, Original Article
KUALA LUMPUR: Housing and Local Government Ministry has set up a committee to study and conduct checks on the 1Malaysia Civil Servant Housing Project (PPA1M) in Bukit Jalil following complaints by the residents here.
Its Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the committee comprised the developers, agencies, contractors, City Hall, Works Department, Fire and Rescue Department, Institution of Engineers Malaysia (Ikram), as well as the residents.
She said the Works Department and Ikram would submit feedback to the committee after one month.
“After listening to the grouses by the residents on the defects on the house unit, faults in the plumbing system and other issues, I found out that the housing project did not follow the specifications (set by the authorities).
“There is also no agency responsible in conducting checks on the (completed) houses.
“Therefore, we have decided to set up a committee, to get the Works Department and Ikram to carry out checks there. They would need to submit feedbacks to the committee after a month.
“They need to communicate with each other especially with the residents in order to identify and solve the problems,” she said after chairing a meeting with the PPA1M Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd project developers and residents.
Zuraida, who spent about four hours at the meeting, said the developers would be given three months to solve the issues.
On claims that there were loopholes in the issuance of the certificate of completion and compliance (CCC), she said the ministry would review and tighten up the system.
“Previously, the Certificate of Fitness (CF) was issued by the local government. However, there were complaints of inefficiency and lateness. It (was then decided that the application) would be submitted to principle submitting person (PSP), which is the (appointed) architect (in accordance to the law),” she said.
“To me, it (the problem) originated from the developers’ side. They are the one who issued the CCC.
“So, there were no checks and balance from other agencies. These are the things that I want to see that needs to be tightened up.
“The first one I discovered was Pudina project in Putrajaya, as well as PPA1M. No developer should be issuing the certificate. That is another thing that I need to rectify and check on,” she said.
Under the law, although the PSP bears the responsibility of issuing the CCC, the local authority still retains a significant authority, which includes the right to issue a written directive to the PSP to withhold the issuance of the certificate until the non-compliance has been rectified.
When asked on the status of the investigation into the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA), she said the project had yet to be officially handed to the ministry.
“Every housing projects will be under my prerogative if it is being handed over officially to my ministry.
“I will be able to understand the situation better and I would know what to do with the masterplan and future directions of the housing projects under my ministry,” Zuraida added.
