BY OH ING YEEN

SUBANG Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) is extending the grace period for another six months for houseowners to submit building plans if they have illegally extended or renovated their homes in Subang Jaya.

It was announced at the council’s monthly fullboard meeting yesterday that the grace period was supposed to end in February 2017 but the council is now extending it because of public request.

MPSJ councillor Chang Kim Loong requested for an additional six months, making it a 12-month extension to the grace period but the council said it was maintaining its stance at six months at the moment.

“While the programme was launched on March 1, submissions only gradually increased since August after campaigns to educate houseowners were carried out.

“To-date the council has collected RM200,000 in fines and processing fees.

“Next year will be a trying time with the GST and possibility of a general election, hence people should take advantage of this grace period and make their house extensions legal,” he said.

StarMetro reported (“Chance to legalise illegal renovations”, Feb 18) that from March 1, MPSJ was giving houseowners a one-year grace period to submit their plans.

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This means those who have not submitted renovation plans to the council are exempted from the penalty, which is 10 times the processing fee.

Property owners will still have to pay the plan processing fee, which ranges from RM100 to RM1,000 depending on the extension, and compound arrears.

Councillors were also given an update on the dengue situation; the council reported a total of 8,430 dengue cases in the municipality this year, which is 17% less compared to the 10,195 cases in 2015.

Speaking to StarMetro, council president Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the council had solved 97% of the complaints received this year.

Councillors also highlighted problems about dengue and illegal dumpsites on Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) land reserves.

“There are people who have built houses there or dump damaged cars on those plots of DID land.

“DID said it did not have the funds, so we offered to manage the land for them but when we approached DID, they did not allow it as they said the land reserve belonged to them.

“By right, they should manage the land and keep it clean. Agencies should work together.

“I will visit the site today,” Nor Hisham added.