Deputy Minister: ‘Sick’ housing project at Sibu’s Lorong Salim 28 revived, Phase 1 completed (Video)
by peter boon · Borneo Post OnlineSIBU (March 16): The two-phase ‘sick’ housing development project at Lorong Salim 28 here has been successfully revived, with Phase 1, involving 21 units, already completed, said Datuk Michael Tiang.
Elated with the positive development, the state Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government revealed that the second phase, involving 26 houses, is expected to be completed within this year.
“This project consists of two phases. The first phase comprises 21 houses, and actually, earlier this month, they (developer) successfully obtained the occupation permit (OP) for all the 21 houses. The delay was due to utility connection issues,” he told reporters during a site visit on Monday.
Tiang, who visited the project last year, recalled that the project had been delayed for more than five years, partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent rise in material costs.
“Now that Phase 1 has been successfully completed and OP obtained, congratulations to the house buyers.
“They (developer) will now proceed to the second phase involving 26 houses, which is expected to be completed within this year,” he said.
He also shared the outcome of his site visit to a ‘sick’ housing project in Bintangor.
Tiang revealed that the Taman Muhibbah housing development project there has been delayed for more than seven years, affecting over 20 house purchasers.
“The present condition of the project can be considered abandoned,” he said.
According to him, the current developer had failed to complete the project, prompting the ministry to step in and facilitate a solution.
“The present developer totally failed to carry out the project, but through our ministry’s dialogue with the landowners, we have successfully identified a ‘white knight’ company to take over the project.
“Presently, we are at the stage of revocation and signing the deed of revocation to terminate the present developer and replace it with a new development company to complete the 20 houses,” he said.
Tiang said the project also involves landowners and noted that financial resources are still available to support completion.
“Luckily, we still have some bank guarantee balance in our ministry and some bank loan facilities, and we are working out with the purchasers to complete the project as soon as possible,” he said.
Also present was the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MPHLG)’s Housing, Technical and Tribunal for Housing Purchaser’s Claim and Strata Management Tribunal division head Durie Austine.