Kota Kinabalu: The KK One project has obtained the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia’s (CAAM) building height approval for 88 metres that can accommodate more than 20 storeys depending on the commercial mix-development plan to be designed.
This is good news for victims of the limbo Star City.
KK One is supposed to be built by a China white knight development company – Fusun International Holding Ltd – to replace the abandoned 8-storey Star City Mall that was left uncompleted since 2005, after its developer was insolvent.
More than 200 members of the Star City Buyers Association (Pekestar) told Daily Express recently they were victims of abuse by a GLC.
Pekestar and its committee lauded the help extended by the State Government under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and former Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe in charge of Sedco and its subsidiary Sabah Urban Development Corporation (SUDC), as the landowner the project.
Phoong told Pekestar members that Hajiji expressed concern about the progress.
A task force was set up to focus on this top priority project. Fusun International Holding Ltd has a new team to work on the project’s new design once the approved height is fixed.
Phoong, who was Sabah’s Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister and Sabah DAP chief, worked closely with his national secretary-general Anthony Loke who is the Federal Transport Minister in charge of CAAM to expediate the building height study and approval for KK One.
An aerodrome consultant in Kuala Lumpur prepared and submitted its report to CAAM that oversees the height of all buildings around the Kota Kinabalu International Airport flight path to finalise the height of KK One.
Pekestar members expressed their appreciation and called on Hajiji and Phoong to ensure that all their concerns are resolved and that the KK One project developer can meet their requests as they are left to negotiate settlement with Fusun International Holding Ltd, instead of SUDC resolving the matter.
Pekestar president Stephen Wong told Daily Express that Star City is the longest abandoned commercial mall project that dated back to 2005. “During these 20 years of delay, many buyers have died or were bankrupted servicing their bank loans in vain,” he said.
“Three years ago if not for a suspicious CAAM letter that was determined to be fraudulent purportedly approving the building height for KK One to be more than 200 metres, the project would have been revived.
The construction would have started then as the development and building plans were done.
“My committee and I extend sincere thanks to Phoong for his untiring efforts the past three years to meet and help us.
“With the new height confirmed, at least now we can see some light at the end of the tunnel.
“Our more than 200 buyers and families will be forever grateful to Hajiji and Ginger if we can resolve this dilemma this year,” Wong said.
Daily Express learnt there is no action yet taken on the police report lodged by the white knight developer over who was responsible for the issuance fraudulent CAAM letter.
