CONDOMINIUM AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS (Management and maintenance)

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan asked the Minister for National Development, since the last amendment of the Land Titles (Strata) Act in 1987, whether there is now a need to review and further explain the law to prevent the many problems of management and maintenance faced by condominium owners such as those of the Bukit Timah Plaza, People's Park Centre and Kentish Green, as well as problems faced by owners of mixed-use developments.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Land Titles (Strata) Act (LTSA) provides a legal framework for the development and management of strata schemes in Singapore. The hon. Member will be pleased to know that the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), together with the relevant public agencies, has already initiated a review of the Act.

The cases featured recently in the media have highlighted some issues faced by strata developments. This has highlighted to the subsidiary proprietors, ie, the owners of the condominium units the need to take an active interest in the management of their building and a greater awareness of the LTSA. Some have provided feedback that the provisions in the LTSA could be improved upon to ensure better governance and minimise the possibility of abuse. BCA has been consulting relevant stakeholders for the review and will consider their feedback so that the changes to the LTSA will better meet the needs of subsidiary proprietors and management corporations.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): Would the Senior Parliamentary Secretary give the likely date when the review could be completed?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: The review is in the active phase now. We conducted the first dialogue with the stakeholders on 13th November 2002. We intend to collate some of their views and we will go to the public again for a second dialogue sometime before April 2003. We intend to wrap up the whole exercise and come to Parliament sometime end of next year.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan (Hong Kah): In the review, could the Ministry of National Development, together with the Ministry of Law, consider giving wider jurisdictions, either to the Strata Titles Board or to the Commissioner of Buildings, with regard to resolving conflicts arising from the day-to-day operation and management of the developments?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Mr Speaker, Sir, indeed these are some of the ideas thrown up by the different stakeholders. We will take them into consideration and will come to this House for approval.

Mdm Cynthia Phua: In view of the many issues that have been brought up recently and the many problems that the MCST strata title properties are facing, would the Minister consider a more active and shorter review period, resulting in an earlier completion of the review?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Mr Speaker, Sir, yes, that is the intention.