LOW-COST HOUSES AT JALAN KAKI BUKIT MALAY SETTLEMENT (Complaints of defects by owners)

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi asked the Prime Minister whether any, and what, steps have been taken to meet the complaints of the owners of the low-cost houses at the Jalan Kaki Bukit Malay Settlement concerning the structural defects of their houses which were sold to them by the Government on instalment basis.

The Prime Minister: The hundred low-cost Malay houses at the Jalan Kaki Bukit Malay Settlement were constructed by the Housing and Development Authority on behalf of the Government. Under the terms of the contract, the contractor was required to make good any defects within six months from the date of completion of the houses. The houses were completed and taken over for occupation on 14th May, 1960. The six months' period therefore expired on 14th November, 1960. Before the expiry of six months, all defects such as defective painting, broken concrete slabs, broken rendering in bathrooms, broken glass louvres, loose hinges, and so on were remedied on complaint and the house-owners signed work forms certifying that the defects had been rectified. There were in fact, no structural defects complained of, and all the other defects had been made good within the contractual period of six months. Responsibility for the maintenance of houses after 14th November, 1960, rests with the individual house-owners.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, has the department concerned met the complaints which I have mentioned in this Assembly from the individual house-owners?

The Prime Minister: Sir, I think the matter does not arise out of the question. All I can say, from my brief, is that in the building contract any complaint can be made within a period of six months and must be rectified. The Housing Board held up payment to the contractor of a certain specified sum agreed in the contract for a period of six months to ensure that any defects were put right. But once the house-owners had signed after six months and they were satisfied that the house was in order, their the money had to be paid by the Housing Authority to the contractor. After that the contractor is absolved from further responsibility. May I add, of course, the obvious — that all the house-owners had signed these forms saying that they were satisfied that all defects had been put right.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, as far as I know, one or two house-owners have not yet signed the forms. Is this true or not?

The Prime Minister: I do not think that can be the case, Mr Speaker, Sir, If there were one or two who had not signed to say that they were satisfied, then the money in respect of those one or two houses could not have been paid over. Legally, the Housing Authority must hold back the money and cannot pay the contractor.