Plans afoot to solve stalled housing projects
21/03/2007 NST By Neville Spykerman

SELANGOR has the most number of abandoned real estate projects in the country.

State Housing Committee chairman Datuk Mohamed Mokhtar Ahmad Dahlan said 57 projects — 38 housing, 15 commercial and four village developments — have been classified as completely abandoned.

Responding to a question from Datuk Mohamed Idris Abu Bakar (BN-Hulu Bernam), he said the figures include 20,999 units of homes and 2,193 commercial lots.

“The state government is aware of the tremendous hardship faced by property buyers and a programme is under way to solve the problem,” he said.

A detailed study of all abandoned projects is being carried out to determine how best to help developers complete their projects.

And local governments have been told to help developers whose projects have stalled due to licensing issues.

Mohamed Mokhtar said meetings will be organised between developers and the Insolvency Department, liquidators and banks, or any party which could help solve the problem.

Large development companies may be called upon to take over and complete the projects, he added.

He said the state government would monitor these projects, and legal action would be taken against developers who refuse to use these opportunities to revive their projects.

Later, the state assembly voted to set up a new national botanical park, the Taman Botanic Negara Shah Alam.

The existing Taman Pertanian Malaysia and Bukit Cerakah forest reserve will be combined, and land will be added to create an 817ha park.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute had prepared a master plan for the project which will cost RM144 million.

The botanical park, which will have six zones, will be developed in stages over five years.

The first will be a 8.8ha gateway and information centre at the border of Kampung Idaman, Meru, Klang. A 14.8ha zone for exhibition and education centres will follow.

The third zone will have a cultural village, which will include local landscapes and highlight all local cultures in Malaysia, on a 15.7ha site.

Slightly over 36ha will be set aside for a flora park with plants from around the world.

The bulk of the area, 712.6ha, will be set aside as a jungle rehabilitation zone.

Observation towers, a suspension bridge and jungle tracks will be built among the trees.

The administrative centre will be here, as well as research and development centres, including a national herbarium, library and laboratories.

Dr Khir said the entire park would be fenced up to protect it.

The felling of trees would be strictly regulated, with only single-storey buildings built within the park boundaries.