KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 ― A total of 78 private sector projects involving 17,605 housing units with 11,735 buyers involved has been classified as ‘abandoned’ in peninsular Malaysia, said Minister of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

Reezal Merican said this year his ministry had rescued seven abandoned housing projects through an intervention of negotiations, facilitation and enforcement.

“So far, four projects (a total of 82) have been successfully restored and three more projects are expected to be completed by end of 2021,” he told media after a walkabout at an abandoned housing project in Taman Selayang Mutiara (Kristal), Selayang, near here today.

Also present was Selangor Housing, Urban Wellbeing and Entrepreneur Development exco, Rodziah Ismail.

Reezal Merican said in Selangor alone, there were 32 abandoned projects comprising 10,855 residential units. 

“In the Selayang area, including Taman Mutiara, there are seven abandoned projects involving 3,002 residential units,” he said.

He added that KPKT is examining all housing projects that are ‘sick’, delayed and abandoned through the establishment of a ‘War Room’ for government intervention, which he is personally chairing.

“The role of this War Room is to see a concerted effort to rehabilitate abandoned projects so that they can be inhabited in line with the goals of a ‘Liveable Malaysia’. 

“KPKT is also studying how to improve the project rehabilitation criteria with government funds in addressing the problem of abandoned private housing projects that have been occupied by buyers but due to incomplete infrastructure, the housing has not yet obtained a Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) or CFO,” he added.

On the abandoned project in Taman Selayang Mutiara (Kristal), Reezal Merican said his ministry had completed the procurement process to restore the Kristal block of 500 units including two units for a nursery and a surau.

“A contractor, Sunissa Sdn Bhd, was appointed as the rescue contractor on June 11, 2021 with a contract period of two years.

“A total of 489 buyers out of 498 units (nine units unsold) will stand to benefit when their homes are completed in mid-2024,” he said. ― Bernama