Delay in Penang's APDL a disservice to the nation

GEORGE TOWN: The delay in Penang developers getting the Advertising Permit and Developers Licence (APDL) may affect Malaysia's competitiveness rank.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said this may happened as what usually took two weeks to obtain now took months.
He said the delays were a disservice to the country and called on the Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Ministry to explain.
"Unless there is a reasonable explanation, Malaysia's pride as a country which is easy to do business will be severely affected," he told a press conference today.
The ministry has received 48 ADPL applications from Penang developers between August, 2014, and February, 2015, with 18 approved and 30 under process according to a April 6, 2015, parliamentary reply to Lim, who is also Bagan MP.
Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) Penang chapter chairman Datuk Jerry Chan said the delays meant developers could not begin work and sell their projects.
This meant people were being deprived of their homes while other industries, like the media, were also affected as advertisements could not be placed, he added.
He said Rehda has written letters in January, February, June and July to the ministry but there was no response.
"This is a very sad and serious situation, people are looking to buy homes," he said in the same press conference.