PORT KLANG: According to the National Housing Department, Peninsular Malaysia recorded 253 abandoned private housing projects between 2009 and February this year.
The stalled projects involve about 64,291 housing units and 43,538 buyers.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said out of the 253 projects, about 186 have either been revived and completed, or are in the stage of negotiations for resumption of construction.
"Out of 186 projects, 31 have been rehabilitated, with the allocation spent amounting to almost RM205 million.
"In Selangor, based on statistics, about 81 abandoned private housing projects were recorded.
"Out of the 81, we managed to rehabilitate nine projects with an allocation of RM60 million," he said after handing over keys and certificates of fitness for occupation (CFOs) for units of revived housing project Taman Tradisi Indah here today.
At the event, Noh said financial problems faced by private developers were among the reasons why housing projects stalled.
On a separate matter, he said the ministry has identified about 209 private housing projects in the peninsula which do not possess Advertising Permits and Developers Licences (APDLs).
In Selangor, he said, about 148 projects do not hold APDLs.
"Therefore, I would like to stress to local councils to be more attentive in ensuring that private developers apply for APDLs before commencing construction works.
"If private developers do not apply for APDLs, it would burden the buyers, and the government may not able to help solve the problem," he said.
The Taman Tradisi Indah project, comprising 50 housing units, was declared abandoned in 2013, but was successfully rehabilitated last year, with an allocation of RM2.67 million.
It is learnt that construction for the project began in 2003, and it was supposed to have been completed in 2005.