The Selangor state government has disclosed a significant governance gap affecting hundreds of apartment and condominium schemes across the state, with 310 strata properties encompassing 35,817 units currently operating without either a joint management body or management corporation. This structural absence represents a substantial challenge to residential management and maintenance standards across the nation's most densely populated state, raising questions about accountability and service delivery in multi-unit dwellings housing tens of thousands of residents.

During the state assembly sitting at Bangunan Dewan Negeri Selangor in Shah Alam on August 12, Datuk Borhan Aman Shah, the housing and culture committee chairman, provided an explanation for the widespread absence of formal management structures. The core drivers behind this administrative vacuum stem from interconnected factors that extend beyond mere bureaucratic oversight. Low collection rates for maintenance fees create financial instability that discourages property managers from formalising their roles, while governance weaknesses compound the problem. Equally significant is the absence of adequate awareness and personal responsibility among property owners themselves, many of whom appear reluctant to engage in collective decision-making or contribute financially to the upkeep of shared spaces.

This situation carries particular relevance for Malaysian residents, as it illustrates a broader tension between homeownership and community stewardship in an increasingly urbanised nation. Many property owners purchase units primarily as investments or residences without necessarily recognising their obligations toward collective maintenance and governance. The lack of JMBs or MCs effectively leaves these buildings vulnerable to deterioration, with no formalised entity to coordinate repairs, collect contributions, or enforce standards. For residents living in these schemes, this absence translates into practical difficulties—disputes over maintenance remain unresolved, building defects accumulate unchecked, and common facilities fall into disrepair.

The state government has acknowledged the depth of this challenge and outlined a multifaceted response strategy centred on strengthening enforcement of the Strata Management Act 2013. Rather than pursuing purely punitive measures, authorities are emphasising capacity-building and engagement. Training programmes and courses will be rolled out to help existing JMBs and MCs improve their financial management capabilities, addressing a critical weakness that often undermines their effectiveness. Engagement sessions are intended to create dialogue between management bodies and residents, fostering greater understanding of why formal structures matter and what benefits they deliver.

Beyond training, Selangor intends to launch targeted awareness campaigns designed to reach property owners and make the case for participation in strata management. These campaigns will emphasise the practical advantages of formal governance structures and the consequences of their absence. A star-rating system for building management is also being developed, introducing a competitive element that may incentivise schemes to establish proper management frameworks and adopt best practices. This approach mirrors international trends toward transparency and performance metrics in property management, potentially positioning well-managed Selangor schemes as more attractive to buyers and tenants.

The Commissioner of Buildings office will play a central role in addressing the thorniest cases. Rajiv Rishyakaran, the Bukit Gasing assemblyman, specifically questioned why the COB was not more aggressively exercising powers under the SMA to appoint professional property agents to manage strata schemes beset by persistent problems. This raises a significant point about the enforcement toolkit available to authorities—if property owners and existing management structures cannot establish order, regulators theoretically possess the power to step in. Borhan's response suggested that COBs are increasingly engaged with problematic schemes, though the extent of their intervention and the criteria for appointing professional managers remained somewhat unclear.

Developer handover issues emerge as a particular flashpoint in strata management. Many schemes fail to establish proper JMBs or MCs precisely because disagreements with developers over infrastructure condition, defect rectification, and financial responsibility remain unresolved. These disputes can persist for years, leaving buildings in a governance limbo where neither developers nor residents have clear authority or obligation to maintain the property. The formation of an action committee, as mentioned by Borhan, suggests the state is attempting to create a coordinated mechanism to untangle these conflicts and expedite the transition from developer control to resident management.

The sheer scale of the problem—310 schemes and nearly 36,000 units—should not be underestimated. This affects a significant proportion of Selangor's strata properties, and by extension, impacts the residential quality of life for tens of thousands of families. For the state government, addressing this issue is both a governance imperative and an opportunity to demonstrate responsive administration. Failure to establish formal management structures leaves these residents vulnerable to exploitation, neglect, and declining property values. For prospective buyers and investors, the existence of a robust JMB or MC is increasingly recognised as a critical factor in property valuation and livability.

The implications extend beyond Selangor alone. As Malaysia continues its rapid urbanisation, strata schemes will proliferate across other states. The challenges Selangor identifies today—weak owner participation, financial collection difficulties, developer conflicts—represent systemic issues that will likely emerge elsewhere. Other state governments may benefit from observing how Selangor attempts to resolve these problems. Similarly, property developers and strata management professionals should take note of regulatory trends, as enforcement activity and expectations around governance standards are clearly tightening.

Moving forward, the success of Selangor's intervention strategy will depend on sustained political commitment and adequate resource allocation. Training programmes and awareness campaigns are meaningful but require ongoing investment. The star-rating system must be transparently administered and genuinely reflect management quality to incentivise improvement. The action committee must have clear authority, defined timelines, and sufficient capacity to process the hundreds of problematic schemes. Without these elements, Selangor risks announcing initiatives that fail to deliver tangible results.

For residents of the affected schemes, the state government's commitment to resolve the situation offers some reassurance, though patience may be required before meaningful improvements materialise. The interplay between property owner responsibilities and government oversight remains delicate; authorities cannot simply impose management structures on unwilling residents, yet cannot indefinitely tolerate the absence of governance in major residential properties. The coming months will reveal whether Selangor's proposed measures prove sufficient to motivate owner participation and formalise the hundreds of schemes currently operating in administrative limbo.