Would Love To Hear From You!!!!

Dear Sutramas Residents,

It has been 2 and a half years since handing over and just over a year since JMB assumed the management of the Condominium. Much has happened.

We now have a new management company.

It is perhaps timely to have a look at where the shortcomings of the condominium are and how to address them.

As such, it would be great to hear from any of you shoud you have a view or comment or idea or suggestion or critique or recommendation or............you get the idea.


Perhaps you would like futsal facilities or shooting some baskets. Perhaps you would like to take it to the next level in your cardio workout at the gym and would like more punishing equipment.

Perhaps you would like more social gatherings? Or maybe some charity work.

Perhaps you would like to indulge in some green/environmetal initiatives.

Perhaps parents with young children might have a few suggestions about what the condo could do for the little ones.

Whatever it may be, let's hear it from you. Do drop a mail to sutramas.kl@gmail.com or better still, leave a comment to this post so it could be more interactive.

Cheers!!!

Change of Management Company

Here is a notice of change of new management for Sutramas Condo.

JL Facilities is replacing See Hoy Chan after just over a year since the JMB took over.

Our new Condo Manager is Ms. Kathy Lee and she can be contacted at the office or by email at katy8902@gmail.com. Should you require assistance during the initial transition period, you can also contact this blog at sutramas.kl@gmail.com.

12^th August 2009

Dear Valued Owners/Residents,

Sutramas (KL)

Kuala Lumpur

Change of Management Services

For Sutramas Condominium Management Office

We are pleased to inform that JL Facilities Management Sdn Bhd has been contracted as the Management Services provider for Sutramas Condominium with effect from August 13, 2009.

We also wish to inform that Ms Kathy Lee is the appointed Building Manager for Sutramas and she will be assisted by Cik Norhaizan.

The maintenance team comprises of Encik Ibrahim, the chargeman and Encik Zulklifli, the technician. Both the maintenance personnel had been on site from the 6^th instant.

If you have any enquiries or requests, kindly contact Ms Kathy or Ms Norhaizan at the Management office during office hours or call JL Facilities Management Service at 03-6203 1911.

Office hours

9.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

9.00am to 1.00pm on Saturdays

Warmest Regards

Management Services

cc Chairman- JMC Sutramas

Article - Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

Here is a reproduction of an article in The New Straits Times today.

2008/08/03
By R.Anbustreets

KLANG: Owners and residents of Prima Bayu Apartments in Bayu Perdana here took charge and formed a joint management body to address problems on maintenance following the developer's failure to respond to the set up.

Residents' Association chairman P. R. Rajah said the body had to be formed, although under the law the management body should comprise the developer and residents. He said a letter was sent to the developer urging it to set up the management body, but there was no response.

"Following which residents lodged a complaint with the Commissioner of Buildings, which is under the Klang Municipal Council."The council appointed an agent to help us form the joint management body which was supposed to comprise the residents and the developer. But the developer did not turn up."This is the first meeting where an agent has been appointed to help us form the body," he said at the meeting recently.

In the absence of developer Palm Grove Sdn. Bhd, the meeting was conducted by Peter Chong, the agent appointed by the council. Rajah was elected as chairman of the joint management body, Albert Yeow as deputy chairman, V. Gunaseelan as secretary and V. Kalaisilvan as treasurer.

Prima Bayu comprises 672 apartments with 3,000 residents. Not all are owners, some companies have rented the flats to house their workers.Rajah said the residents have had various problems especially on maintenance and security.

Klang MP Charles Santiago, who was present at the meeting, advised developers in Klang to work closely with residents to work out complaints and problems."Many complaints from residents of apartments have been about the lack of maintenance and the developers' lackadaisical attitude."

Articles - Woes Related To High-Rise Living

Here is a reproduction of an Article in The Star today.

Tuesday August 5, 2008
By GEETHA KRISHNAN and TAN KARR WEI
THE high-rise pressure-cooker lifestyle is causing temperatures to rise among residents of apartments and condominium units, resulting in constant confrontation and conflicts between them and their joint management committees (JMCs).

Feuds, veiled threats, aggressive actions and even run-ins with the law are common features of the high-rise dwelling culture.

The common grouses include the usual disputes over sinking funds, maintenance charges, insurance, house rules and parking bays.

The more serious cases involve accusations of cronyism and covert dealings have also been hurled.

Under the Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007, a developer is required to form a joint management body (JMB) to oversee the management and operation of the common areas at its high-rise projects.

The developer is given 12 months from the date of vacant possession to set up a JMB before strata titles can be issued.

The committee should comprise two representatives from the developer and eight to 12 owners of apartment or condominium units.

The Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007 is meant to protect buyers and complements the Strata Titles Act.

National House Buyers Association secretary-general Chang Kim Loong, however, feels that it is still a long process for strata titles.

“The Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007 is new. Hence, there are teething problems,” he said.

“The Federal Government, especially the Housing and Local Government Ministry, must be pro-active in educating both developers and buyers through means like proper guidelines, a hotline or even conducting brief courses,” Chang said.

“One reason there is feuding and uncertainty is because the act is there but the regulations are not in place. Another reason is with power lumbered over to buyers. Everyone seems to have a personal agenda and think the JMB is a gold mine,” he said.

“The residents associations and the Rukun Tetangga are powerless in raising and articulating issues because of legal restraints as the JMB, as a corporate body, can sue and be sued. Hence, although the residents associations can be consulted for checks-and-balances, they are hesitant to address the real issues,” Chang said.

The authority in this matter is the Commissioner of Buildings (CoB).

As a legal adviser, the CoB must determine the service charge of a property, ensure the building is insured, audit the building management fund, enforce house rules and advise on late payment interest for maintenance and service charges.

According to Chang, the Selangor Housing and Real Property Board (LPHS) previously performed the functions of the CoB but the Federal Government, through the Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act 2007, felt that local authorities should be entrusted with the job.

Chang feels that the board should continue to have control over the JMBs and delegate its tasks through sub-CoBs, which should comprise individuals familiar with housing and local government issues while having the necessary skills and qualifications to resolve disputes.

According to Selangor Housing, Building Management and Squatters Committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad, the state is aware of problematic JMCs and has plans to take over inefficient committees through local councils.

Iskandar said the housing board would serve as mediator when deemed necessary.
Residents of apartments and condominium units want to be informed and educated about their rights, according to S. C. Lim, the adviser of the Pelangi Damansara Blocks G-K joint management committee (JMC).

Residents association chairman Anthony Goh, meanwhile, said there were members with various types of expertise and this was a great help in the selection of personnel for the formation of the JMC.

Damansara Sutera JMC chairman Jeffrey Chan said residents should find common grounds when dealing with developers so issues could be raised and amicably settled.

However, for residents of the Palm Court Apartments in Brickfields, it has not been smooth sailing. There are frequent disputes between the tenants, owners and the JMC.

All mayors and local council presidents are de facto Commissioners of Buildings (CoB).
Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman, however, feels that there should be an independent body to handle the formation of joint management bodies (JMBs).

At present, the CoB functions through the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) property management and assessment department.

“The responsibility should not be placed in the hands of the local authorities. We need employees who are trained in this issue to handle the workload,” Roslan said.

For example, he said the council accounting team would have to audit the accounts of the condominium before a certificate for a JMB is issued.

“Our legal team also has to work on it on top of the other council related matters that they have to attend to,” Roslan said.

Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) president Datuk Adnan Md Ikshan said so far, there were 212 condominiums with strata titles and 80 JMBs in the municipality with 36 cases still pending.

“We don’t have a special department to handle the JMB issues. We have to re-deploy employees to work on it,” Adnan said.

However, there is one accounting personnel from the federal government helping the MPSJ employees.

Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) president Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abd Rahman agreed that there should be an independent body appointed as the CoB.

“There are many problems relating to the formation of the JMBs and it is hard for the local authorities to concentrate on them because we have other issues that we should be working on,” Hasan said.

Meanwhile, Local Government, Research and Studies Committee chairman Ronnie Liu said the state government was still studying the proposal to relieve the local authorities of the responsibilities of the CoB.

Getting to grips with high-rise living

RESIDENTS of apartments and condominium units want to be informed and educated about their rights, according to S. C. Lim, the adviser of the Pelangi Damansara Blocks G-K joint management committee (JMC).

Residents association chairman Anthony Goh, meanwhile, said there were members with various types of expertise and this was a great help in the selection of personnel for the formation of the JMC.

Damansara Sutera JMC chairman Jeffrey Chan said residents should find common grounds when dealing with developers so issues could be raised and amicably settled.

However, for residents of the Palm Court Apartments in Brickfields, it has not been smooth sailing . There are frequent disputes between the tenants, owners and the JMC.

Article : Electing Your Council Leader In Your Home Community

Reproduced below is an insightful article on the certain extras required for harmonious condominium living. It is an article posted in "www.iproperty.com.my" for which credit was accorded to the NGO, the National House Buyers' Association. Electing your Council Leader in your Home Community

April 21, 2007

The concept of a management body should be fairly clear to a Management Corporations' Council' members or even many long-time strata property owners. For non-involved owners and residents - especially first-time owners - this form of common-interest 'governance' can be perplexing and, at times, bewildering., what with the many parties (developers, managing agent, management council, other buyers) involved as well as with the legal duties of each party.

Those who have never lived in an owners' corporation (condo, apartments, townhouses, gated communities) often do

not understand the necessity of service charges, sinking fund, rules and volunteering to sit in the management council. For them, the 'management' may be perceived as little more than a nebulous entity that expects prompt payment on monthly invoices. This lack of understanding can lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding with the general perception that condo living is 'hard'.

Required by law
Call it by whatever name, Joint Management Body (JMB), Management Corporation (MC), Residents Association, they are all basically a community association of property owners looking out for their best interest. In the first two, it is a requirement by law for strata titled property under the Strata Titles Act, 1985 and the new Building and Common Property (Management and Maintenance) Act, 2007 ('BCP'), whereas Residents' Association are voluntary organizations registered as a society.

The new BCP Act now allows the formation of a joint management body from the start and owners do not have to wait till the first annual general meeting called by the developer to have a say in how their investment is managed and maintained.

Very often, only a small percentage of owners in condominiums or other types of strata titled development take interest in how their properties are managed. This leaves the handful of volunteers burned out after years of volunteering their services. There are also some who are interested but do not have the knowledge or skill to sit in the decision making council.

Challenging duties

In the BCP, the joint management committee representing the purchasers' should number at a minimum 5 purchasers, maximum 12. Whereas, in the Strata Titles Act, the Management Council should consist of, a minimum of 3 parcel owners, maximum 14.

Although these are voluntary positions, it has to be taken seriously because it involves people and their investments. Most owners' corporations are headed by a leader who might also be the chairman at meetings. Strong leadership is an essential component of every successful owners' corporation. Very often, those who speak the loudest at meetings are elected which may not be sufficient for the long term.

A good leader can make a difference for an owners' corporation spirit. By considering the strength and qualities it takes to succeed, selecting your leader can in a very real way, lead to a more productive and happy community. Here are some tips on how to choose the leader of your home community.

"A manager does things the right way and a leader does the right thing." A leader is someone who not only recognizes the "right thing," but who can also motivate others to help him get the right thing done. Strong leaders should have skills, knowledge, and experience plus the abilities to motivate and command.

How do you recognise who has this special combination of insight and inspiration? There are personal characteristics that point to strong leadership style. Look for people who display these particular abilities:

• Ability to take criticism - No one in a position of power will escape criticism. Leaders have the ability to discern when criticism is valid and when it is not.
• An open mind - A leader must be able to approach a problem creatively. Perspective is an invaluable leadership tool. A council/committee that is afraid of change will stagnate.
• Communicate well - Explains, persuades and praises. Some volunteers are not particularly articulate, yet are valuable and productive. Leaders should be able to express ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Decisiveness - Taking a stand involves making mistakes. A good leader takes a stand and if an error is made, acknowledges it and makes a course correction.
• Enthusiasm - Enthusiasm is contagious. With it, council members are motivated to keep volunteering. Without it, voluntary work becomes a burden.
• Leads by example and promotes teamwork - Arrives on time, never shirks responsibilities and demonstrates good work habits. Instills cooperation among volunteers, making it easy for them to pitch in together. Pitches in along side others and not just issue orders for others to follow-up.
• Listens to others - Source for and uses other's ideas and gives credit when credit's due.
• Problem solving skill - Uses knowledge and experience to help get the job done.
• Sensitivity - A genuinely caring leader inspires confidence in others. Confidence leads to results. Leaders delegate, give and seek constructive feedback. A leader knows how and when to give praise. Praise is the simplest and often the most valued form of reward. A leader knows how to criticize constructively: pointing out what is wrong without attacking personalities. A good leader seeks opinions and ideas from others.
• Sound judgment - Has the ability to identify and prioritize issues. A good leader then weighs alternatives carefully before making decisions.
• Takes responsibility - Never blames others for problems.
• Vision - A strong leader understands and promotes the community's best interests. Leaders set goals, communicate what's needed to achieve them and then move toward them.

Here are some tips to consider when electing the leaders of your owners' corporation:

• A leader should understand the functions of the owners' corporation and be familiar with significant historical events of the community. Newcomers frequently make good volunteers. However, there are some situations which call for someone possessing a historical perspective. For example, if the corporation is in the midst of a sensitive litigation or a new management contract, a newcomer might detract by insisting on covering old ground again.
• How much interest has the candidate shown in the community and its undertakings? Has there been regular meeting attendance and participation in activities? If not, investigate the sudden interest. Be particularly careful about "one-issue" candidates who volunteers because they dislike a certain contractor or are opposed to a recent service charges increase.
• A candidate should not have conflicting personal and professional commitments. For example, a high public profile candidate may have numerous commitments that mean infrequent participation.

If all the above sounds to you like a mini-government, it is in fact one. If you own a property with common property, you automatically become a member, like it or not. Over time, we have noticed that home owners can be categorized into three groups; those who make things happen, those who wait for things to happen and those who asked what happened. Which group do you belong to? Choose your leaders well and prosper or wait for the next election at the annual general meeting and run for council member post.

Claiming Your RM625 Rebate

Unsure of the procedure on claiming the RM625 rebate? Read this light but helpful blogposting "Its Wise To Claim Your RM625 Rebate Soonest Possible", then go download this form before heading out to the Post Office.

Community Portals

A new blogroll of other community portals has recently been added to the sidebar.

The portals have graciously linked this site as we have theirs. It is hoped that this will widen the network of information and knowledge to mutually benefit residents in achieving their objectives.

Do visit these sites when the demands of everyday life permit. The wealth of information and the issues brought up and discussed would make the time well spent, if only to benchmark that of the position in Sutramas.