KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is in the process of gazetting an exemption for strata management bodies regarding their 2020 annual general meetings (AGMs), which could not be held due to the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry’s Municipal Services Division (Strata Management) senior principal assistant, Buhairi Jahilan, said the ministry was also looking into the feasibility of holding AGMs online so that outstanding matters could be resolved.

“The Strata Management Act, or Act 757, places an obligation to hold the AGM within a certain period.

“But due to the enforcement of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, or Act 342, which restricts movement and gatherings, the AGM could not be held, apart from the need to comply with certain standard operating procedures,” he said.

He said the feasibility of holding the AGM depended on the COVID-19 situation and the movement control order in the area where the stratified building community was located. For example, JMBs and MCs in recovery MCO areas need to hold an AGM as soon as possible to meet the requirements under Act 757.

Buhairi said this while speaking as a panellist in a webinar organised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) here today.

The virtual programme was attended by almost 300 stratified building communities and was officiated by Kuala Lumpur mayor Mahadi Che Ngah.

At the same time, Buhairi said there were certain provisions in Act 757 that allowed JMBs and MCs to create their own house rules regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, as deemed appropriate.

However, he said the rules should not go beyond what is stipulated under Act 342, and ratification must be done through the AGM.

Therefore, Buhairi hopes that JMBs, MCs, and the stratified building community can submit proposals to the ministry or their respective local authorities to improve the SOPs for AGM implementation so they can carry out their responsibilities under Act 757.

“In a test move, the Commissioner of Buildings under DBKL will be the pilot project for holding an online AGM on Feb 26.

“We hope this will be a starting point so that AGMs that are well organised and in compliance with the rules and requirements of Act 757 can be implemented successfully,” he said.

Source : https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/02/24/exemption-for-2020-strata-management-agms-to-be-gazetted-says-ministry/

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