Penang developers are facing a hard time since August as Putrajaya is delaying approval of their licenses and advertising permits for their property projects.
 
Penang Real Estate and Housing Developers Association chairperson Jerry Chan said the delay by the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry has affected more than 30 developers. 
 
Chan said these developers cannot sell their units even after organising property fairs to announce their projects as they cannot advertise, launch and collect booking fees.
 
He said developers are making noise because without these approvals, they cannot market their properties.
 
He said the developers heard that their applications were "frozen" but it does not seem to be the case.
 
"Our national president spoke to the ministry people and were told that they will look into it," he told Malaysiakini, when contacted today.
 
"But it is taking a long time. Too long," he added.
 
'Delays since August'

The approval usually takes only two weeks after applications are submitted to the ministry but the delays started happening only in August.
 
"It happens only in Penang as developers in other states are saying they do not face this problem," Chan noted.
 
Since August, the Penang government has been in a tussle with the Penang Federal Council chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman over the approval of projects by the agencies.
 
State executive council member Jagdeep Singh Deo (left) has been demanding clarification from Zainal on the agencies' affordable housing projects as some are tagged more than RM400,000, the ceiling cost for such units.
 
Jagdeep has also criticised the federal government's Pr1ma projects because it has yet to see the light of day in Penang, although Prime Minister Najib Razak promised 9,999 units before the 13th general elections in May last year.
 
"Whatever it is, these delays are helping no one. It does not help the federal coffers also," Chan said.
 
"Developers are now wondering what went wrong as they have fulfilled all the requirements in their applications," he added.
 
Asked how the state govt can help, Jerry said there was nothing they can do “as this involves the federal ministry. The state cannot do anything", he added.

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