New Act a boon to buyers


Owners of new high-rise units can expect to receive their strata titles upon moving into their property once the new Strata Management Act 2013 (Act 757) is implemented early next year.

Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail said that under the new Act, the developers had to submit the schedule of parcel to the Land and Mines Office when the architect-in-charge issued the Certificate of Completion and Compliance.

“With the submission of the schedule, the Land and Mines Office will then issue the strata titles for the units.

“Previously, developers had to wait for six months before they can apply for the strata titles upon submitting the schedule of parcel,” she said at the Strata Management Act 2013 Seminar at Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort on Saturday.

Patahiyah said: “Under the new Act, developers were required to submit the schedule of parcel with the issuance of CCC and vacant possession.

“The new Act will replace the Building and Joint Property (Ma-nagement and Maintenance) 2007 (Act 663).”

She said: “The improvements in the new Act include the marking of a shared common area of the property in the strata plan, submission of schedule of parcel to Commissioner of Building (CoB) and the setting up of a strata management tribunal.”

Meanwhile, state Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo, who opened the seminar, called upon the council to increase its manpower for the CoB to better handle the high demand of work from the 1,179 high-rise housing schemes on Penang island.

He added that from the schemes, there was a total of 173,906 parcels (units) while there are only 10 CoB in the council.

“One of the main complaints I received is that action is not taken quickly by the CoB but I can’t blame them as there is lack of manpower.”

Patahiyah said she will look into this and improve the situation soon. - By The Star

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