Meeting Between Residents of United Garden & The Developer

United Garden house buyers getting yet another update on the delay in getting strata titles. Mr Chin, the surveyor, is on my right. On my left is Mr Kwan, the financial controller of United Housing. Khong and his MCA kakis are sitting behind Kwan.

Yesterday afternoon, I managed to get representatives of the developer of United Garden, United Housing Sdn Bhd, to meet with the house-buyers of United Garden at the Golden Sky coffee shop. The developer was pepresented by namely Mr Kwan, the financial controller, Mr CM Chin, the surveyor and Ms Lee.

When I arrived at 3.30pm, there were about 30-40 people/residents waiting for me together with the representatives of developer. My office through our contacts as well as the owner of Golden Sky Coffee Shop tried to notify as many residents as we could about this meeting.

To my surprise — or should I be? — Khong Chee Seng and a few MCA members were sitting in one of the tables. Khong saw me and said, “It’s good that you manage to get the developer to meet up with the people.” I smiled at them and started my discussion with both Mr Kwan and Mr Chin. I knew Khong had come to create trouble for us.

Both Mr Chin and Mr Kwan explained the main reason for the delay of strata titles is because many blocks are encroaching into state land, thus they have to apply to the authorities concerned to amalgamate state land and their original land and the process has taken a lot of time. However, many of the amalgamation plans have been approved by the land office on 11th January this year. The developer is waiting for the main title of each lot to be issued to them before they can apply for strata titles for the house buyers.

The blocks that have encroached into state land include Block B, C, H, I, S, M. For Blocks G & F, the developer is in the process of applying for strata titles.

Amendment of Strata Titles In 2006 Open Door For Strata Titles Application For Old Buildings

Mr Chin also told the people that they have applied for strata titles in the past, but they were turned down as many of these blocks were built prior to the establishment of DBKL or Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur, where there was no requirement of Certificate of Fitness (CF) at that time.

I told the people there that the Parliament has amended the Strata Titles Act at the end of last year to allow old buildings as such to be granted strata titles. With the enforcement of this amended Strata Titles Act, all old buildings in United Garden and other places will be entitled to apply for strata titles.

Some of the residents raised other matters, including the purchase of fire insurance and other payments.

Khong The Shit-Stirer

After the developer’s representatives answered each and every of their queries, the people started to leave that coffee shop. Then Khong came to the front of my table and accused Mr Kwan for telling lies. He twisted and turned the story by asking why did Mr Kwan tell the people that the strata titles have been approved by 11th January this year, but he received letter from land office in July this year that said the developer has not applied for strata titles at all. As usual, he said it in an emotional manner and thumped the table before me, trying to intimidate us.

I corrected him that Mr Kwan has never told us that strata titles application has been approved on 11th January, what he said was the amalgamation exercise has been approved on 11th January. Khong then said he has recorded our talk just now and he can replay the tape for us. My volunteer assistant, Emily, started to raise her voice to correct him and repeat the same thing to him. I was very surprised to see Emily react in such a manner as she is usually timid.

Khong then said that I should have taken side with him and the people, but not the developer. I told him that I am talking facts and I questioned why he twisted and turned the story? He also challenged me to sue him.

Khong then asked why the developer collected RM546 from the house-buyers in 1983 yet they have failed to get strata titles for them till today. This is tantamount to cheating, he alleged. He then queried about the money as well as its interests.

At first Mr Kwan was reluctant to respond to Khong, he told me that he wanted to leave the coffee shop and leave this guy alone. I told him quietly that we have to answer his queries because he will shit-stir and confuse the people there. Then Mr Kwan turned back and replied him with loud voice point by point in a very emotional manner. I never know he can speak in such a loud voice. He told Khong that when the company collected RM546 in year 1983, they genuinely thought that they can apply for strata titles for the house-buyers (we must bear in mind that strata titles act first came out in 1982), but then they realized that they can’t do so due to various obstacles mentioned above. He said all the money collected from the house-buyers at that time has been kept aside, and it can be used as payment for strata titles in future, but he cannot give people interests because they did not put in FD.

When Khong made noise again, he raised his voice in a very emotional way, “Yes, we were wrong, I apologise, I tender my apology now, what else you want me to do? Do you want me to kneel before you here?” I then quickly stopped him from doing so.

Khong then made cynical remarks and asked why the developer built the building by encroaching into state land, why didn’t they as professional developer failed to pack the boundary of the construction during construction time? Mr Kwan yelled back at him in a very emotional way, “Because we have been stupid, we have been very very stupid. Are you happy with the answer now?” He then turned his back and left the coffee shop together with his colleagues.

The emotional response of Mr Kwan shocked many people, especially the owners of Golden Sky Coffee Shop. I then walked out of the coffee shop together with my assistants. The coffee shop owners tried to pacify me and apologised to me. I asked if Khong was invited to come. They said they never informed him or invited him.

A few house-buyers walked with me out of the coffee shop and asked me why did Khong behave in such a manner? I said his bad attitude was part of the reasons I sacked him. A woman told me that she and others just hope to get the strata titles, they didn’t want to be so petty. They also thanked me for arranging the meeting for them. A few of them who observed the scene told me at the corridor that “we have eyes to see what has happened, we know how to discern, don’t worry.” I smiled at them. 🙂

Ya, I believe the people have eyes to see. It’s clear that Khong came with the intention to embarrass me and the developer in public. He also tried to show that he is knowledgeable on housing matters, but he failed to know that he has brought disgrace to himself publicly by doing so.

I am looking for emotional quarrelers as elections campaigners

After observing what happened this afternoon, I have a thought that I need to look for people who can scold people loudly and emotionally to be my elections campaigners, like that emotional lady building owner (Cantonese bao zhou po) in one of Zhou Xin Chi’s comedy movie “Kung Fu”. She looked like an Apiah, but she can use her voice to fight against her enemies and made her enemies or intruders collapse. : -) This kind of campaigners are good to fight against poodles who think they are bulldogs and like to bite others below belt.

In the press conference of Khong and Dr Sua (MCA Seputeh Chairman) last week, Dr Sua announced that MCA will cooperate with Khong and support him in his works to get strata titles for the people in United Garden.

After the episode of yesterday afternoon, I feel like laughing when I think about Dr Sua’s announcement. I wonder whether this guy will be the MCA Seputeh’s liability or asset in their bid to garner more support hereh.

I have had enough with this guy, MCA Seputeh can have him all to themselves : – ))