Luqman's musings

  Yesterday, a good friend sent me the photo above and said: ‘Notice the elevation?’ I responded: Yes, what is important is if this was according to the DP (Development Plan). He replied: No idea…this has been going on for ages, until they meet LM (Luqman Michel).

                                                           Click on the image to enlarge it In my recent post about the retaining wall requirements at Vistana Heights ,  LINK , a friend messaged me on WhatsApp with this observation: Not enough complaints from your Taman . I think many are happy because they bought it at 1.7 mill and the current value is at 2.7 mill. They gain 1 mill. I'm not sure where the 2.7 million figure comes from, but based on recent online listings and past transaction data, it likely falls in the RM2.3 million to RM2.6 million range. A recent listing was for RM2.3 million, while a past median transaction price was RM2.34 million. Some listings show higher asking prices, such as RM2.38 million.   I replied to him with this pointed question, which he hasn't answered yet: What happens if ...

  In a recent post, I shared a piece of advice from one of my sons: "Look for allies." I initially brushed it off, noting that finding allies isn’t easy—most people hesitate to get involved in contentious or challenging issues. But upon reflection, I’ve come to realize that I do have allies, even if they’re not always vocal or visible.

In yesterday’s Daily Express – Comments and analysis column I read a very informative article by Datuk Roger Chin. LINK Here are some salient points which Roger Chin dared to point out. The article: It has been more than 20 years since the law provided for an Appeal Board. Not constituting it after all this time is not just an oversight – it is an abdication of duty. Its time to end the silence and give Sabah the institutional recourse it has long been denied.

    Tatal ke bawah untuk melihat terjemahan ke dalam Bahasa Melayu Is the alteration to the house platform height from 101 feet to 106.26 feet, as specified in the sales and purchase agreement (SPA), allowed or legal? The SPA states that "no change or deviation from the approved plans shall be made without the consent in writing of the purchaser."

  During the DBKK (Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu) meetings held on May 5, 2025, and June 11, 2025, the Director General (DG), summarily dismissed my inquiry regarding whether a retaining wall was mandated in the development plans for Vistana Heights. This raises questions about the basis for his confident assertion that no retaining wall was required in the development plans approved in 2018. How can he be so certain of this claim? Is he implying that the officers and the mayor who approved the 2018 development plan overlooked critical structural requirements or acted negligently? 

  In Malaysia, including under the jurisdiction of Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK), the development plan must be submitted and approved by the relevant local authority before commencing any development. Commencing development without prior approval is considered illegal. The discrepancy between the platform height in the Sales and Purchase Agreement (S&P) (101 feet) and the Development Plan (DP) approved by DBKK in 2018 (106.26 feet) raises important considerations: Did the developer revise the platform height to comply with DBKK’s requirements?

  The height of the No. 9 House Platform at Vistana Heights as per the development plan is 101 feet.                                                                                                                                                                          The Height of the House Platform as per the As-built Survey is  32.38 metres, 106.2 feet.                                                        ...