Malaysia has brought 1,615 troubled housing projects back on track, with over 190,000 homes and RM150.86 billion in development value affected.
PETALING JAYA: A total of 1,615 troubled and abandoned housing projects involving 190,422 homes and a gross development value (GDV) of RM150.86 billion were restored or brought back on track between December 2022 and May this year.
Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said the outcome followed the establishment of a task force in December 2022 to monitor troubled developments and coordinate immediate solutions with the parties involved.
Of the total, 1,446 troubled projects obtained their Certificates of Completion and Compliance, while 133 returned to smooth progress and 36 abandoned developments were fully revived.
“The task force monitors troubled and abandoned projects more closely and seeks immediate solutions with all relevant parties,” she told the Dewan Rakyat during the Ministers’ Question Time session.
Aiman Athirah said the ministry also acts as a mediator to determine whether affected developments should be completed by their original developers, rescue developers or liquidators.
Developers and company board members involved in troubled or abandoned projects may be blacklisted and barred from applying for new housing development licences, while their existing Housing Development Accounts may be frozen.
The ministry is also engaging state governments, local authorities, technical agencies, utility providers and developers to identify obstacles and resolve projects at different stages.
“We are amending the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966 to examine the best mechanisms and methods to protect buyers affected by abandoned housing projects.
“Under the Act, the minister may declare a development abandoned if it is not completed within the period stipulated in the sale and purchase agreement and no significant construction activity has taken place at the site for six consecutive months,” she said.
She was replying to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar), who asked about measures to address abandoned housing developments and uncontrolled construction that did not correspond with local demand.
