Newly formed Penang High-rise Unit Owners Association has called on the Housing and Local Government Ministry to speed up the tabling of the Property Maintenance Bill.

Association president Assoc Prof Dr Tiun Ling Ta said the Bill had been talked about since 2003.

“Without the Bill, there is no avenue for high-rise property owners to air their grouses,” he said at the opening of the association's service centre at 16, Solok Bukit Jambul yesterday.

Present at the function were state executive councillor Datuk Koay Kar Huah and Batu Uban assemblyman Goh Kheng Sneah.

Dr Tiun added that the scope of Housing Tribunal should also be extended so that it could handle problems related to management and transparency in management.

“We would also like to appeal to the Land Office to initiate the sitting of the Strata Title Board as there has been no sitting since it was formed,” he said.

On the association's service centre, Dr Tiun said it is open every Saturday from 2pm to 5pm.

Dr Tiun, who is an associate professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), said that the association is organising a talk on strata titles at Caring Society Complex on at 2pm on April 2.

For details, call Zulkiffli (012-4635535)/ Harry Ooi (012-4081629)/ Khoo Boo Hock (012-4189223).

Koay, who is Seri Delima assemblyman, said in his speech that the proposed Property Maintenance Bill was in the final stage of preparation.

“It will be tabled in Parliament soon,” he said.

On the non-sitting of the Strata Title Board since its formation, Koay said he would bring up the issue in the next executive council meeting.

Koay announced a RM5,000 allocation to the association.

Dr Tiun later told reporters there were two corporate members, 70 individual members and 10 associate members since the launch of the association in September.

“To sign up, one has to pay a one-off administrative fee of RM50 and an annual membership fee of RM12,” he said.