Govt urged to form Commission of Buildings fast
20/09/2006 The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Property management stakeholders want the Government to quickly set up a Commission of Buildings (COB) instead of amending the Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents Act 1981.

The stakeholders said the proposed independent commission had been long overdue under the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

“The COB will act as an alternative dispute arbitrator for any dispute between property owners and tenants and managers,” they said after meeting Ayer Hitam MP Wee Ka Siong at Parliament House on Monday.

Those who met him included representatives of management corporations and residents’ associations.

Representatives of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association of Malaysia, The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia and the Malaysian Architect Association, and the Malaysian Association for Shopping and High-Rise Complex Management were also present.

They had also sent a joint memorandum to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and 14 ministries a few months ago.

Wee had raised the issue of amendments to the Act last week while debating Budget 2007.

The amendments would allow the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents to be the sole property managers of office buildings, commercial complexes and condominiums.

Wee said the property management industry should be streamlined and not be monopolised by any one party.

He added that the Finance Ministry would answer his questions during the winding-up of the debate on Thursday.