The condition of the road at the Lorong Ling Kai Cheng 12A shoplot.
SIBU (Jan 9): Owners of commercial building lots at Lorong Ling Kai Cheng 12A here have been advised to meet up with the developer to resolve the dilapidated road conditions there.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting said the council is unable to do anything because the development project in the area is not completed, and the developer has yet to hand over the site to SMC for maintenance.
He said without fully completing the project and without handing over the site to the council, the developer continues to bear responsibility over the area.
“Our council’s funding is the people’s money. We cannot spend on the developer’s areas which they are supposed to be doing, and that is the reason why we do not upgrade or maintain the place.
“How can we use public money to help the developer? We are not a charitable organisation. I can say that on behalf of the Sibu people, they will never agree. As chairman, I have to have very strict governance on how we spend this money,” he told The Borneo Post when met yesterday.
Ting was responding to complaints by shop owners last week, urging the council to repair the dilapidated roads in the area.
He said SMC’s financials would be audited and that the council would be questioned if money was spent on a private road.
He thus called on the shop owners to approach the developer and to request the developer to approach SMC to see how they could work together to better the roads for the shop owners.
“As chairman, I am willing to see them, they can see me,” he added.
One owner, Lau, told The Borneo Post last week that one row of shop lots was completed over 10 years ago but remains unrented due to the severely damaged roads in front and behind the area.
The owner purchased a middle unit for around RM900,000 at the time, intending to use it for commercial purposes.
However, the poor road conditions left the shop lot abandoned, making it difficult to rent out or use.
On this, Ting explained that there were three construction projects in the area.
He said Phase 1 (Swan Square) was completed and fully handed over to SMC for maintenance, meaning the council was able to maintain the roads.
“However, Phase 2 and Phase 3 have not been completed and have yet to be handed over to council for maintenance.
“The shop owners that complained are the ones at Phase 2. For Phase 3, SMC only issued road and drainage certificates, but that is only halfway and the site has still not been handed over to us.”
Ting added that the council is maintaining the front road at Phase 3 because it is facing the entrance point.
He also explained that there are procedures before the site could be handed over to the council.
According to him, once the construction is ready, the consultant will write to the council to inform that the roads and drainage are ready.
Then, SMC would set a date for inspection at the earliest possible for the issuing of a road certificate.
“Depending on how many times we go there, because sometimes they need to do the remedial works and if they pass, we will issue them the road and drainage certificate.
“In the certificate, it is stated your road and drainage has been satisfactorily constructed, but within two years, the road must remain in reasonable condition,” he said.
He said at the end of two years, if the road is not in a reasonable condition, the council has the right to ask the developer to repair and then council will take over the maintenance from there onwards.
“In the meantime, the thing that we’ve accepted will be sent to the Land and Survey Department and then there is a procedure before it could be vested in the council.
“Vesting might take some time, then after that, the department will write to us that the road is now vested to the council already, do you want to accept it? This is very important, so normally we will go to see the project. If the road is in terrible condition, how to accept?
“So we will ask the developer to come and do any remedial works if needed. Now, after we fully take over. If we accept, then this road becomes SMC road. Then after that, then we can start charging for parking,” he said.
Ting explained that is why certain parking areas are free because they are not vested in council and council had no authority to charge anyone.
On the shop owners in question paying assessment rates, he said prior to 2016, projects without road and drain certification could obtain occupation permits (OP).
“After that (2016), without road and drain certification, OPs cannot be issued,” he said, adding that only with the road and drain certification could the council start to do maintenance work.
“If the buildings are empty, the shop owners who are paying assessment rate are entitled to apply for rebate.”