Nine years of misery for buyers – and not their fault
Published on: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
The protest attended by Jesselton Condominium homebuyers in 2022 with Margaret (inset).
IT has been a painful nine years for One Jesselton Condominium buyers who say they have been made innocent victims of the fault of others.
“It is taking a toll on us financially, mentally, psychologically and physically,” said spokesperson Margaret Ng.
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“One Jesselton was also a hot issue in the Sabah Legislative Assembly in 2023. One Jesselton commenced construction in 2015.
We are already in 2024 and still unable to obtain OC due to alleged failure of the developer to comply with the required height as per reference to UBBL 2022, para 42 (2).
“However, I want to question the above imposition. As per cited in a letter (DBKK, Ref. No. JKBn No: Z/140/II) dated 18 January 2024, I was made to understand that DBKK didn’t adopt the UBBL 2022 as stated in the Daily Express report dated Jan. 18, 2024 (“Shareda Urges DBKK To Adopt Certificate of Completion and Compliance”).
“The headroom clearance of 2.3m in height from services projection that DBKK wants the developer to comply with specifications under the UBBL 2022. Logically, the demand to comply is not enforceable as DBKK didn’t adopt it.
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One should not just pluck a law from thin air to suit one’s whims and fancy.”
Margaret retired from working in Singapore and returned to Sabah to stay in her dream home, only to rent an apartment.
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“It is unfair to the developer and the dire ramification of further delay falls on us, the purchasers, who suffer the most as we are paying high interest rates and mortgage loans to apartments that we cannot even move into for years.
“Even sadder, some elderly purchasers had passed on and some of them are already in their 70s. They are still paying monthly mortgages while worrying sick that they may never see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“While I understand and appreciate the stringent requirement which ultimately is to safeguard the purchasers’ interests, ironically, this stringent requirement only causes further grievance and unnecessary anxiety to the buyers,” she said, adding humanity should not be sacrificed when implementing any law.
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