KPKT to review Strata Management Act 2013 over developer, JMB liabilities: Noh Omar

SHAH ALAM: The Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government (KPKT) plans to review the Strata Management Act 2013 over the issue of liability between developers and joint-management bodies (JMB).
Its minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said many JMBs inherit huge debts due to the lackadaisical attitude of the developers, some which fail to settle arrears such as the water and electricity bills prior to handing over the management of the condominiums and flats.
"The ministry wants to ensure that developers hand over the management of the condominium and flats with zero liabilities upon completion of the project.
"We have been receiving far too many complaints from JMBs in several states regarding this issue," he told reporters after visiting the Seri Nipah flats at Seksyen 22, here, today.
Noh said the current laws regarding the liabilities for both developers and JMB after completion of a development project were ambiguous and unclear.
"Hopefully with the review, the ministry would be able to table an amendment in the Dewan Rakyat which requires all developers to settle arrears involving its project prior to handing over its management to the JMB," he said.
In the meantime, Noh announced that the ministry will issue orders to developers to comply with the "no liability" policy prior to the handover of management with the respective JMBs.
In the case of the Seri Nipah flats, he said saw its JMB having to inherit RM400,000 in arrears with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) and lift repair contractors due to irresponsible flat-unit owners.
"After speaking to the JMB, over 80% of the 323 units have yet to pay their maintenance fees of RM38.50 per month over the last several years. This is due to the fact that most of the units are being rented with the tenants refusing to pay these fees.
"The lack of funds has caused the flats to be in a decrepit state. Its lifts do not function well, there are piping problems and rubbish is strewn everywhere.
"As such I have ordered the Commissioner of Building (COB) to issue a notice of demand to all flat-unit owners who have yet to pay their maintenance fees," he added.
During the visit, Noh also pledged RM80,000 from the ministry to the Seri Nipah JMB in an effort to fix and repair their lifts.