The developer, who was awarded the tender to develop the affordable housing project in SP Chelliah, has been ordered to rectify the defects as soon as possible.

State Local Government, Housing, Town and Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said he took the matter seriously.

“It is a state project and the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) is the project manager.”

It was reported that PDC awarded the tender to Zubicon Sdn Bhd in 2013 to develop the project.

Jagdeep said the project consists of two blocks of low medium-cost apartments and a block of affordable housing apartment.

“The total number of units for the entire project is 2,093.

“Only the affordable housing block (1,048 units) obtained the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC).

“The project has to get clearance from various departments before obtaining the CCC.

“This shows that it (the affordable housing block) is structurally safe.

“It had undergone stringent procedures before being awarded the CCC,” Jagdeep told a press conference at the Penang Wadda Gurdwara Sahib today.

He said the complaints from the buyers were basically on the finishing works.

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“Like in any Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA), there is a defect liability period for the developer to make good the defects.

“I have ordered the developer to repair the defects as soon as possible. I have also directed PDC to compile all the complaints lodged by the owners and also to monitor the progress.

“I urged the buyers to file their complaints officially to the developer so that it can address the problem.

“The developer must repair the defects within 30 days upon receiving the official complaint ,” he said.

Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng said the state would not compromise the safety of the buyers.

“My service centre has received many complaints about the defects.

“I have also spoken to the developer pertaining to some major defects,” he said.

Buyer Tarlochan Kaur, 57, said she was heartbroken when she saw her affordable housing unit.

“We have been staying in a rented home, and this is the house that we bought.

“The doors to all the three bedrooms are damaged. The toilet bowl is so filthy that I feel the developer has to replace it.

“I have filed an official complaint two weeks ago,” the retiree said.

PDC deputy general manager Aziz Bakar said the corporation was in the process of compiling the complaints, and promised to monitor the situation closely.

Zubicon managing director Lim Beng Keong said the developer had received about 500 complaints from the buyers.

“We are a responsible developer. We urge the buyers to file the complaints to the management office and we will rectify the defects,” he said.

Source: Buletin Mutiara