Selangor faces a significant infrastructure governance challenge, with 310 strata residential schemes totalling 35,817 units operating without either a joint management body (JMB) or management corporation (MC). The stark figures emerged during the state assembly sitting at Bangunan Dewan Negeri Selangor in Shah Alam on August 12, when Selangor housing and culture committee chairman Datuk Borhan Aman Shah disclosed the scale of the problem while responding to questions from assemblywoman Rajiv Rishyakaran of Bukit Gasing.

The underlying causes of this management vacuum reveal systemic weaknesses across multiple dimensions of residential governance in Malaysia's most urbanised state. Low collection rates for maintenance fees have emerged as a critical constraint, preventing the establishment of functioning management structures that require baseline financial resources. Beyond financial challenges, weak governance standards among property owners have compounded difficulties, whilst a troubling lack of awareness about the importance of collective property stewardship has left many residents unwilling to take responsibility for their shared spaces. These interlocking problems suggest that the issue transcends simple administrative oversight, instead reflecting deeper cultural and institutional deficiencies in how Malaysians approach communal living arrangements.

Datuk Borhan acknowledged that the state government views this as a long-term challenge requiring sustained intervention. The Strata Management Act (SMA) 2013, which provides the legal framework for residential management in Malaysia, has proven insufficient on its own to compel compliance or overcome the practical barriers preventing formal management structures. The government's proposed solution involves a multi-pronged capacity-building approach, with particular emphasis on strengthening the capabilities of existing JMBs and MCs through targeted training programmes and professional courses. Such initiatives aim to address one of the root causes identified: the inability of property managers to handle financial matters competently, which erodes owner confidence and discourages participation in collective governance.

Rajiv Rishyakaran's line of questioning also highlighted a regulatory tool that appears underutilised: the power of the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) under the SMA to directly appoint professional property agents to manage troubled strata schemes. This mechanism exists precisely to address situations where resident-led governance has failed or cannot be established, yet the question implies that it has not been deployed systematically across the 310 identified schemes. The apparent hesitation to invoke this power raises questions about resource constraints within the COB's office, the technical complexity of appointing external managers, or possibly a policy preference for encouraging local solutions before resorting to government intervention.

Contextualising this challenge within Malaysia's broader property landscape reveals troubling implications. Selangor, as the economic and population heartland of the country, hosts a disproportionate share of high-density residential development. The prevalence of strata-titled units reflects Malaysia's shift towards vertical living, particularly in urban and suburban areas where land scarcity makes apartment buildings and condominiums the dominant housing typology. When 310 such schemes lack proper governance, the consequences ripple across multiple stakeholder groups: residents suffer from deteriorating common facilities and uncertain property values, developers face reputational damage and potential legal liability, and the state loses control over building standards and maintenance.

The disconnect between legal frameworks and practical implementation suggests that existing regulations are not translating into functional outcomes. The SMA 2013 provides extensive powers and procedures, yet its effectiveness depends on property owners understanding their rights and obligations, developers facilitating smooth handovers and cooperation, and regulatory bodies actively enforcing compliance. The acknowledgement that handover disputes between developers and buyers have prevented JMB or MC formation in some cases points to a market failure where profit incentives in the development phase undermine the conditions necessary for long-term residential stability.

Datuk Borhan's announcement of engagement sessions and awareness programmes indicates recognition that education and persuasion must precede enforcement. This aligns with international best practices in building management, where resident buy-in dramatically improves compliance and outcomes. However, awareness campaigns alone cannot resolve structural problems such as free-rider behaviour, where individual owners benefit from common facilities without contributing proportionately to their maintenance. The proposed star-rating system for buildings attempts to address this by creating market incentives for good management, appealing to property owners' self-interest regarding asset values and rental yields.

The role of the COBs in resolving conflicts and overseeing dispute resolution suggests that human intervention remains critical where administrative procedures prove insufficient. A meeting to establish an action committee represents a shift towards more coordinated problem-solving, though implementation timelines and resource allocation remain unclear. The state government's decision to strengthen COB capacity for intervention, rather than defaulting entirely to professional management companies, preserves the possibility of resident-led governance whilst maintaining a backup mechanism.

For property owners in affected schemes, the implications are mixed. Those in the 310 units without formal management structures currently face an indefinite period of legal limbo and operational uncertainty. Immediate access to professional management through appointed agents could stabilise their situations, whilst capacity-building programmes for other schemes address preventive measures. However, the timeline for resolution and the government's resource commitment remain ambiguous, leaving many residents without clarity on how long their properties may operate without formal governance structures.

The broader policy challenge extends beyond Selangor, signalling a need for nationwide review of strata management governance across Malaysia. Similar problems likely exist in Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Penang and other high-density urban areas. The emergence of this issue at state assembly level indicates growing political pressure to address the problem, which may translate into resource allocation and enforcement prioritisation. Selangor's experience will likely inform how other states approach comparable challenges, making the effectiveness of its intervention particularly consequential for the national residential management landscape.