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Control of commercial project development: Call on the Housing Minister Datuk Ong Ka Ting to present a Bill in the coming September Parliament   Press Statement by Kerk Kim Hock (Petaling Jaya, Friday): Yesterday, I had through a parliamentary question, asked the Housing Minister Datuk Ong Ka Ting to explain why the government had yet to produce a legislation to control the commercial project development after so many buyers had been cheated by errant developers.   Ong replied that the government was aware that many purchasers had faced difficulties and problems caused by commercial project development. He also said that the government was in the process of studying a legislation for the purpose of controlling the development of commercial project.   I then reprimanded the Minister by saying that I had heard such an answer many times before since 1999. In my supplementary question, I questioned the logic as to why after the nation had gained independence for 46 years and that after so many purchasers had been cheated; the government was still reluctant to come out with a legislation to protect the purchasers' interest.   Ong later held a Press Conference outside the Parliament Chamber and he was reported today to have said  that as his Ministry was the Housing Ministry and not Commercial Premises Ministry, the matters of commercial projects were not under his purview.   He nevertheless said that he would bring the matter up  in the Cabinet and that he was prepared to monitor the commercial project development if allowed to.    Ong’s explanation is a very weak excuse because  all this while, the application of Certificate of Fitness for commercial projects has always been handled by the local government which is under his Ministry.  The Housing Minister or his deputies have always handled all questions and debates in the Parliament pertaining to commercial development projects.   It is not accurate therefore for Ong to say that no ministry is in charge of the commercial projects as his Ministry has always been handling such a sector. What is lacking or absent, however, is that there is no legislation to control the industry and hence, the Housing Ministry has no authority or power to control it.   If Ong’s explanation that the commercial project development is "no Ministry’s child " can be accepted, then this is a most ridiculous situation as how could such an important sector be "abandoned " for so long by the government?     Nevertheless, what is important and imperative is that the government must waste no more time and must immediately get into the work of drafting a legislation to control the commercial project development so that a Bill can be presented to the Parliament in the coming September session. (27/6/2003) * Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for Kota Melaka