People and government work together to achieve a healthy living environment

Yayasan Pendidikan Kawasan Bandar Tun Razak Chairman, Mr Chew Yin Keen, with the increase of housing prices especially landed properties in major cities, most of the urban residents, especially the younger generations has chosen hierarchical real estate property such as condominiums, apartments and flats.

However, Government may ensure the proper measures are followed and practiced by the management bodies of the properties, so that the quality and safety of the residents are guaranteed at all times.

This includes the common issues for instance the cleanliness and hygiene environment in those government flats and apartments which affecting the quality of living for the people.  Government should pay more attention to these issues.

He further added that the living environment and next generation is closely related. Therefore both the people and the government should work together to achieve a healthy living environment.

In view of the increase of landed property prices, this will cause most of the urban living people unable to afford to purchase landed properties. Thus, living in high rise condominiums and apartments will be the future trend for most of them.

For example, our neighboring country, Singapore, the government control and monitor the management of these properties in order to maintain a healthy living environment for their people.

Food, shelter and clothing are the basic human needs, so long as the people‘s basic needs are met, sure they will be cherished things surrounded them.

Without the proper management for these high rise properties, not only the quality living for the people affected but it is also causing the value of the properties diminished.

Mr Chew suggested that government can consider to allocate funds to refurbish the infrastructure of the government flats and apartments for instance to repair the service lifts and other public amenities. As for those private high rise properties, government should participate and implementing measures to enhance the living environment.

The implementation of the Strata Management Act 2012 which replacing the Buidling and Common Property Act 2007. The new act is to improve the management and maintenance of the stratified building and currently taking care of approximately 1.4 million units of stratified property.

The Building and Common Property Act 2007 and Strata Title Act 1985 may not be suitable to handle the current issues as its’ has many weakness.

The new Act has 153 provisions compared to the previous only 46 provisions, making it even more comprehensive. In addition, a tribunal will be set up under the Act to solve current issues and disputes. The tribunal will attend problems faced by the property owners, Joint Management Bodies (JMB), Management Corporations (MC).

For the past 2 years, the Ministry of Housing and the Local Government have received 27,000 of complaints. Mr Chew also added that he hopes that the new Act will able to address the weakness of the previous legislation.