Developers off the hook, home buyers suffer, 'hunted' by Ah Long
SHAH ALAM – More than 150 families are now living in fear even though they live in their own houses and have completed all payments.
It all stems from the greedy actions of the developers who are allegedly greedy for money, forcing home buyers in Taman Halaman Indah, Sungai Jawi, Nibong Tebal to suffer.
The developer have made millions of ringgit in profit, but as a result of an illegal loan, buyers are left in debt with nine money-licensed companies and with an illegal ah long.
Anxiously thinking about the unthinkable amount of debt, they got news that the developer company had been declared bankrupt.
Who will then defend this group of home owners?
Lawyer's letter
According to the Taman Halaman Indah Acting Authority Chairman, Habibur Rahman Seeni Mohamed, all 155 buyers have received letters from lawyers demanding debt payment.
"We got all the keys but received a letter from a lawyer who wanted to settle the debt, and now every buyer has to pay RM21,000 due to the developer's reckless actions.
"Sometimes they (ah long) send their people to check whether the house is occupied or not, so there will always be unknown cars monitoring this area," he told Awani
Ailing project
This Taman Halaman Indah project was once listed as one of the ailing projects and after being abandoned for so long, the housing area was completed and the houses there were offered at a cheap price.
According to Michael Chuah who is one of the victims, the desire to buy in cash with the aim of not wanting to bear any debt eventually turned into a nightmare for him.
Although it is clear that the home buyers were the victim of the situation, the loan company refused to resolve the matter through negotiation. No payment in installments is offered, instead they are pressured to cough up a 'one off' payment.
"For 10 years we have lived in fear even in our own homes. We are afraid of being chased away, bullied and all kinds of troubling things (the actions of ah long).
"Mothers and fathers are not having a good sleep at home, so if you want to talk about a solution, there has been no action from the authorities.If there is a solution, we will not gather to demand justice and our rights," he said.
House grant
All the home buyers feel like they are staying in iilegal houses. A decade has passed, and they still did not have their house grants
As for Shahariza Mohd Saarah, she, herself is tired of the reasons put forward by the developer every time she asks about the grant claim.
"The developer promises that when they finish making the payment they will hand over the grant but every time its demanded, they give all sorts of reasons to delay the handover (grant).
"I bought a house since 2010 and now it's 2023 and I still haven't received a grant, so imagine what the buyer's fate will be like," she said.
Loan grip
For the record, this problematic project once received help from the Housing and Local Governmentt ministry which was then led by Zuraida Kamarudin.
It is understood that they paid off the debt amounting to RM7.2 million, however, the developer seems unfazed and continues to look for trouble when making a second loan amounting to RM3 million.
Buyers' anxiety have increased as they anticipate for this August 21 which determine – whether they will be able to settle all debts or whether the house auction process will go ahead.
Developers are left rampantly making millions of ringgit profits while buyers are left hanging, and haunted by nightmares.
There is also the question of whether there is an 'unseen hand' that makes the developer immune to protection so that he still escapes legal action.
Various forms of letters have also been sent to the authorities in the hope that there is a party willing to lend assistance to end the impasse.
However, the responsible party seems to be taking a 'blind eye and deaf ear' attitude, which makes the home owners foresee a long way to go to any action being taken
The reality is, until now they have been left to live in a stalemate without any defense - AWANI
