Cock and Bull Story by Roger Chin and John Lo (Part 3)


 

Licensed Surveyors and the Vistana Heights As-Built Survey

Following my previous discussion on certain lawyers in Sabah engaging in unique practices, today I focus on a licensed surveyor responsible for the as-built survey for Vistana Heights.

An as-built survey is a critical requirement in Sabah for obtaining an Occupancy Certificate (OC), especially for new construction projects. It verifies that the built structure complies with the approved building plans and is submitted by the Principal Submitting Person (PSP), typically an architect, to the local authority, Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK), for OC issuance. Governed by the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) and local guidelines, the as-built survey ensures alignment with approved plans, fire safety, structural stability, and environmental regulations. Without it, the PSP cannot certify compliance, potentially delaying or preventing legal occupancy.

In 2022, I reviewed the as-built survey obtained from DBKK for Vistana Heights and was shocked to find significant discrepancies between the survey and the actual on-site conditions. The survey appeared to have been manipulated to secure the OC. Notably, the height differences between house platform levels and the adjacent road were inaccurately reported for several houses, including:

House No. S9: Reported as 0.80 feet, but the actual difference exceeds 4 feet.

 

House No. S20: Reported as 0.16 feet (platform lower than the road), but the actual difference exceeds 4 feet.

 

House No. S11: Reported as 3.3 feet, but the actual difference exceeds 4 feet.

 

Additionally, a 9-foot drainage reserve, which has collapsed on-site, was inaccurately depicted in the survey.

For more details on House No. S9, see:

https://luqmanmusings.blogspot.com/2024/11/newspaper-article-on-driveway.html

Better yet, visit Vistana Heights to witness the discrepancies firsthand.

Roger Chin and John Lo stated, “Real estate is not rocket science, okay, and we have a lot of experience, plus many Sabahan developers who can do it…” Yet, these inaccuracies raise serious questions about the integrity of the process.


Location: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

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