KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1,018 developers has been blacklisted by the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Parliament was told.
Deputy Minister Datuk Halimah Sadique said the figure, which was obtained as at March 2, was part of the government's effort to ensure irresponsible developers would not be allowed to advertise and sell units for future projects until the issues with problematic projects are settled.
"This will hopefully curb the problems of abandoned projects and protect the rights of the unit buyers. This is while waiting for the amended Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966 that provides more bite for enforcement to be in force together with the amended Strata Management Act 2013 and Strata Title Act 1985, pending the resolution on the matter is passed by all the state assemblies.
"The 1,018 developers blacklisted by the ministry included 146 for abandoned projects, 337 had failed to settle compounds (for various offences), 307 had failed to settle the claims awarded by the tribunal, and 131 problematic projects. When a development company is blacklisted, its board members are also automatically blacklisted, so they could not be involved in other or new project until the matter is settled. Up to March 2, a total of 3,607 board members of the companies has been blacklisted.
"Between 2009 and 2014, there were 216 abandoned projects recorded, with 52 are in the midst process of revival," she said in responding a supplementary question by Er Teck Hwa (DAP-Bakri).