An Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry survey showed that 69 percent of apartments and condominiums nationwide scored only one and two stars in 2015, or below par, in an evaluation of property management standards.
This is a decline from 2014 when 65 percent were ranked below par.
Meanwhile, only one percent, or around 74 of the 7,325 high-rise residential properties within Peninsular Malaysia received the top five-star ranking.
“For now, about 70 percent of residents are at a level where they are merely aware of what needs to be done in managing their property,” said Mohammad Ridzwan Abidin, the ministry’s urban service division under-secretary.
“They are not yet at a level to appreciate the benefits of cooperating with each other and creating a better living culture.”
One major problem is the refusal of some condominium residents to pay maintenance fees, said Ridzwan.
Other problems include matters involving enforcement and building defects.
The survey is part of the yearly Strata Scheme Management Quality Evaluation of the ministry, or ‘Star Rating’, which ranks management corporations or joint management bodies of condominiums and apartments.
The ranking is based on how these bodies perform in seven areas – administration, risk management, security, maintenance, collection of funds, compliance with law and community support.
Ridzwan revealed that six million of the 20 million city folk are presently living in stratified buildings such as condominiums and apartments, with the number expected to increase in future due to urbanisation.
The ministry official said the mindset of the people should be changed in order to foster civic-minded communities within high-rise buildings.
“Future generations will likely live in stratified buildings, so people should try to set a proper precedent for them,” stressed Ridzwan.
Mangalesri Chandrasekaran, Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email mangales@propertyguru.com.my