KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): Joint management bodies (JMB) and management committees (MC) can consider using their discretion and powers to utilise the sinking funds to finance the costs of sanitisation work at their strata residences if there is no special allocation provided.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Property Management and Valuation Department director Datuk Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh said the step could be taken as it was the JMB and MC’s task and duty to ensure the safety and well-being of residents of the strata building as contained in the Strata Management Act 2013.

“But when the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) ends and collection can begin, it is necessary that the funds be replaced.

 “This situation (of such a loan) is not contained in Act 757 (Strata Management Act 2013), but if based on the objective of JMB and MC to implement its responsibilities, performing sanitisation work is very much needed for the safety of residents in the area to ensure they are free from Covid-19 infection,” he said.

He was speaking as a panelist in the 2021 Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur’s Covid-19 Prevention Management webinar entitled “Prihatin Rakyat: Emergency to Combat Covid-19’ organised by DBKL here yesterday.

The webinar was participated by 300 strata building communities and was officiated by Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah.

Kamarulzaman said JMBs and MCs can also use allocation in the maintenance fees to bear the cost of sanitisation of their strata buildings if there was no special allocation prepared.

However, he said, the method of procuring allocations (because it involves cost) must follow procedures set by the Housing and Local Government Ministry based on guidelines dated Feb 13, 2020.

Meanwhile, DBKL Health and Environment Department director Dr Umi Ahmad said sanitisation work in strata buildings depends on the resources of the JMB and MC.

“Actually it depends on the budget, if it’s affordable then it’s better to sanitise the entire building if there is a Covid-19 positive case at their location.

"If they can’t afford it, the JMB or MC can focus on high risk areas, for example, areas where the patient might have touched, such as public areas in strata buildings like lifts, lobby, stairs and corridors,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mahadi in his opening speech expressed hope that strata building communities would comply with all the instructions issued by the National Security Council in the effort to stop the spread of Covid-19 and ensure the safety and health of all Malaysians.

He said living in strata buildings involved sharing between many residents with different backgrounds, religions, races and cultures.

“Every resident has shared or common property they use as a community, such as lifts, stairs, corridors, playgrounds, swimming pools, water tanks, roofs, sewer pipes and multipurpose rooms. As such, a harmonious and tolerant relationship among residents is much needed,” he said.

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