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Together we stand
01/05/2003Published in Malaysian Business - Housing & Property By National House
Buyers Association of Malaysia
Residents'
associations may go a long way towards
creating a successful community
If there's one
volunteer organisation you're going to
contribute your time and interest to,
make it your residents' committee.
Housing projects - big or small,
high-rise or in rows - will comprise a
community of owners sharing the common
areas, roads, parks, recreational
facilities... and housing woes (if any).
With such shared
ownership comes shared responsibility,
and co-owners must come together in an
association to protect their interests.
In Malaysia, such an association of
owners is called Residents Association
(RA) if the building is completed, or
Pro Tem Committee/Association (PTC/A) if
the building is under construction and
the owners have formed an association
'for the time being' in order to solve
impending problems.
It is not uncommon to
read in the papers of residents, alarmed
by an increase in criminal activities
such as cars being stolen or rampant
snatch-thieves, forming an association
to fight this crime. The latest call was
by the Minister of Housing & Local
Government Datuk Ong Ka Ting in his
parliament speech for buyers of
abandoned projects to form such a
committee. The
National House Buyers Association (HBA)
has always urged owners to form
associations to look after their own
interest as soon as they have made their
purchase. Together, house owners have
the advantage of numbers. We have always
advocated self-help as complete reliance
on others, such as developers or the
authorities, to look after your
interests is not wise.
An association of
owners formed, even as early as the
construction period, will be
advantageous in serving the community.
These are some reasons for forming one:
- To act as a
watchdog for the future community
- To have a
cohesive voice in the interest of
the community
- To be organised
when there is a need for contacts
and communication
- To share the
workload
- To share
resources and ideas to maintain or
improve the community
- To volunteer for
a good cause towards an enjoyable
life in the community
Purchasers of
subdivided building such as apartments
and condominiums have more reasons to
form a committee as at some point in
time, they are obligated to form a
management corporation. By the time a
meeting is called by the developer to
form one, the owners would have known
each other well, making election of
fellow owners to the management council
an easier task. HBA has helped form or revive more
than 50 associations of house
owners. The crucial first step is
getting a few owners from the
project to volunteer. Without them,
there will be no associations. These
are the steps that can be carried
out to form an association.
- Formally request the
developer to form one in order
for the developer to give out
the list of other buyers
- If the developer has a
website on the Internet, request
that a page be set up for owners
to interact
- Place an advertisement in
the local papers - look out for
pages that offer free
advertisements if resources are
limited
- Post messages on HBA's forum
page.
- Distribute details of owners
keen to form an association to
other owners, if the building
has been completed, by way of
flyers or notices.
- Check with HBA if an
association for that particular
project has been formed.
The next step is the
election of members to form a committee.
Most committees have between 12 and 15
members. Committees with fewer people
tend to be unrepresentative and more
will make it difficult to operate. Every
member of a committee has an important
role to play and contribution to make.
The three keys roles in any committee
are the chairperson, the treasurer and
the secretary. The chairperson is responsible
for the smooth running of
meetings, allowing all members
to have their say, guiding the
association in its objectives
and acting as spokesperson on
its behalf when necessary. It is
a vital position.
The treasurer's
role is to look after the
association's monies, and to
keep a record of all
transactions.
The secretary is
the association's point of
contact with its members and
involves writing letters on its
behalf, organising and keeping
records of meetings.
Once an
association of mutual interest
owners has been formed and a
committee has been elected,
write to the developer and the
relevant authorities to inform
them of the existence of such a
committee and the key people to
communicate with.
Do not wait until
you have project delays or other
major problems before you think
of starting an association.
Share happy times too - the
pleasure of your new home is
enhanced when you know your
neighbours.
Good dialogue and
careful advance planning among
owners, developers and relevant
authorities go a long way toward
creating a successful community. |
