I find it strange that former MP Shriniwas Rai had suggested that MPs should ask for another Select Committee to review the findings

I find it strange that former MP Shriniwas Rai had suggested that MPs should ask for another Select Committee to review the findings of the recently concluded Ministry of Law’s Public Consultation for en bloc legislation, ‘Let Select Committee hear public views’ (ST, May 26).

In 1998/1999, Mr Shriniwas Rai spoke in support of this law when he was a Nominated MP and the present law came into being only after going through a time-consuming Select Committee process.

Nonetheless, we ended up with the present law that has facilitated outright exploitation and unscrupulous behaviour. Justice delayed is justice denied.

I would urge the Ministry of Law to expedite the review of the present law and gazette it as soon as possible to prevent further anarchy.

Examples:

(a) How anarchy has finally hit Singapore in the way sales committees are formed in en bloc sales, culminating in the latest fiasco of Watten Estate having two sales committees, each with its own marketing agent and lawyer.

(b) How hundreds of dollars are being ’short-changed’ in the distribution of collective sales proceeds which is to the obvious detriment of owners of large units. The large units may be double the size of the smaller units because prior to April 2005, the share value bandwidths are in intervals of 100 sq m (since reduced to 50 sq m). This meant that a unit of 101 sq m has the same share value as another unit of 199 sq m (double the size).

Also, the unit-size composition of most estates is such that there are only a few large units/penthouses in each condo and hence this group’s vote is skewed even before voting begins.

As share values determine the voting power and is usually factored in the distribution formula, the self-appointed unregulated Sales Committee and the Majority Small-Unit Owners fully exploit the laxity of the present law by deciding on a distribution formula such that the big-unit owners are getting either the same amount of sales proceeds or a mere 15-20 per cent more even though the unit sizes vary significantly.

As Singaporeans can bash each other up over a Hello Kitty toy or a few dollars of petrol discount, what wouldn’t they do for an outright short-change running into possibly six figures?

Tan Meng Lee (Ms)

Source: The Straits Times, 29 May 2007