S'porean's Batam Bungalow Dream Dashed

Source : The Straits Times, Oct 12, 2007

He waited seven years for his villa to be built, only to see the entire development flattened.

HIS dream bungalow was razed - without any notice.

In early 2005, Mr Lee saw workers demolishing some structures and assumed that these needed to be rebuilt. But on his next visit, his house was gone. -- PHOTO: LEE KHONG HWEE

Businessman Lee Khong Hwee, 67, was on another visit to his Batam bungalow when he came upon a piece of bare land.

'There was nothing. Maybe some broken bricks and rubbish among the weeds,' he told The Straits Times.

There was no forewarning, and 80 houses in the Marina Bay Villa - which once stood in west Batam, near the popular Waterfront City - disappeared almost overnight.

For the last two years, Mr Lee has been trying to find someone who will be responsible for the almost $134,000 he paid for the 6,500 sq ft property. He had also forked out $20,000 in renovations, he said.

But so far, he has had no luck with the authorities and companies in Batam.

'They all claim ignorance and a lawyer there said I must pay fees to get answers, but I don't want to lose more money,' he said.

Mr Lee's saga started back in 1990.

Then, he had visited a property fair and had decided to invest in the Marina Bay Villas here in 1990 and decided to invest in the residential estate offered by Indonesian developer P.T. Karya Sinar Batam, and Island Club Condominium, a Singapore company.

It was supposed to be built by 1992 and the development of 304 units was touted as one of the biggest developments on the Indonesian - that 80 units were completed. Mr Lee's bungalow was one of them.

But to add to their problems, despite repeated calls and a payment of over $1,000, the developer never did turn on the home's utilities and Mr Lee and his wife were unable to rent it out.

The couple would visit their new Batam house once or twice a month, he said.

Then, in early 2005, Mr Lee saw workers demolishing some structures and assumed that these needed to be rebuilt.

But on his next visit, his house was gone.

For the full story, read Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.