Datuk Abdul Rahman DahlanPETALING JAYA (Jan 14): Building managers can register themselves with the Commissioners of Buildings (COB) for now, while the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government is working towards the formation of a Board of Building Managers (BBM).

Speaking to reporters after the launch of a Strata Management seminar here today, minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (pictured) said this move will give building managers the legitimacy to do their jobs.

“We are in support of the idea of setting up the board but there are challenges as we need to talk to different parties about the formation. [So] we have decided that while waiting for this new board to [be] set up, we are allowing building managers to register with COB,” said Abdul Rahman.

BMAM welcomes the move and urged building managers to register themselves with the COB.

Earlier, the Building Management Association of Malaysia (BMAM) urged the ministry to set up the BBM so that proper statutory standards and operations can be streamlined to provide a consistent quality of service.

BMAM president Tan Sri Eddy Chen said the association hopes the BBM will be set up as soon as possible.

The seminar, entitled Strata Management -- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, took a look at the impact of the recent implementation of the Strata Management Act 2013 and the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015, which have been effective since June 1, 2015. They are under the purview of the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government.

The seminar was organised by the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia and BMAM. Abdul Rahman was the guest of honour.

In Abdul Rahman's keynote address, he noted that most of the new commercial properties these days are mixed-use developments.

“At present, there are around 15,000 strata building development schemes in Peninsular Malaysia alone, which accounted for approximately 30% of the country’s urban population,” he said.

He added that COB had earlier started a star-rating assessment on the management quality of strata development schemes, and the numbers sent a strong message that more work needed to be done, from both private and public sectors, in ensuring quality management in all strata development schemes.

Among the 6,630 schemes evaluated in 2014, Abdul Rahman revealed that some 99 schemes, or 2%, have been awarded a 5-star rating. Some 541 schemes (8%) got a 4-star rating, while 1,626 schemes (25%) achieved a 3-star rating.

Meanwhile, some 1,286 schemes, or 19%, were given a 2-star rating and 3,078 schemes (46%) received a 1-star rating.

“It shall be our joint task in bringing the 65% of 1- and 2-star rating managements to excel and achieve 3-star ratings and beyond in the near future,” Abdul Rahman said.

“This in line with the ministry’s vision in fostering and strengthening the liveability and sustainability of our country’s environments for all Malaysians.”

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