Frustration mounts as land buyers caught in a bind

Frustration mounts as land buyers caught in a bind

By FARIK ZOLKEPLI

farik@thestar.com.my

JOHOR BARU: They bought the land in 1967 and some four decades later, a majority of the buyers have still not obtained their land titles.

Worse still, the original buyers of the property in Taman Saujana, Plentong, have either retired or passed away.

Badri: ‘76 of the buyers have died’
Resident Badri Mukibat, 66, who is also the landowner’s association chairman, said that out of the 890 original buyers, only some 50 people have received their land titles.

“The majority of the buyers are still left in limbo for over 40 years and 76 of them have died.

“We have requested the titles from the developer since the first day we acquired the land but it has not been responsive,” he said, adding that most of the residents were angered beyond words by the predicament.

Badri said he, along with other residents, have been in and out of court for the past decades but only managed to get the 64.7ha of land divided into individuals ownerships.

Now it is up to the developer to settle the issue. They have tried everything including publishing the matter in a few Malay newspapers since 10 years ago, with the latest last year. Still, no action has been taken.

Another resident, Kamsiah Manap, 55, said she bought the land during the first days of her marriage and now, with grandchildren around her, there was no title in sight.

Kamsiah: Developer may sell off the property at any time
“All of us are scared that the developer will sell off the property at any time because of the increased value,“ said the irate housewife.

Rokiah Baba, 58, concurred with the other residents and added that the battle against the developer has been an uphill struggle.

The residents sought to demonstrate at the housing estate here recently but their efforts were thwarted by the police.

Johor Jaya assemblyman Tan Cher Puk, who was on hand, advised the residents to follow legal proceedings.

When contacted, the developer refused to comment.