State Governments To Appoint Building Commissioners
28/11/2006 Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Buyers of housing units in multi-storey buildings can soon turn to building commissioners to be appointed by the state governments to look into problems that may surface from the time of delivery of vacant possession until the issuance of strata title.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Tuesday this was contained in the Building and Common Property Bill to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat next month.

"We hear of many problems faced by buyers as they wait for the strata title. So we are hopeful that the appointment of such commissioners as stipulated in the bill can overcome this situation," he told a news conference after chairing the 56th National Council on Local Government meeting here.

Speaking to reporters later, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said that building commissioners would be endowed with powers to resolve a lot of problems.

"Let's say buyers are not happy with the developer, for example, for not carrying out proper maintenance. Currently there is no specific law to help them out.

"So, with this new law (to be enacted), if there's any dispute or abuse, the commissioner of buildings can come into the picture and will be the person to enforce the relevant law," he said.

Ong said that the proposed legislation would become a cover for buyers during what he described as "a long vacuum period" between delivery of vacant possession and issuance of strata title when only developers currently had the right to manage common properties.

Elaborating, he said that the state authorities would have to consider people like government officers or professionals who knew how to run common properties for the post of building commissioners.

Meanwhile, on another matter, Najib said the council agreed that the requirement for Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) for buildings, a replacement for the Certificate of Fitness for Occupancy (CFO), be implemented by all states.

The new system, which will cut bureaucracy and encourage self-regulation and self-certification by professionals, will come into force about 18 months after the relevant laws are passed by Parliament and signed by the King.

The related bills will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat next month.

The CCC is meant for new projects while those currently under construction will still be issued with the CFO.

-- BERNAMA