PLANS TO SPEED UP ISSUANCE OF SUBSIDIARY TITLES ON BUILDINGS

by : Hiew King Cheu

The long outstanding issue on the delayed issuance of building subsidiary titles or strata titles was raised up by the MCA Luyang Assemblyman Hiew King Cheu during the recent state assembly sitting. He asked on how the process on the issuance of these titles can be speeded up. At the moment, there are still many buildings in Sabah are still without proper subsidiary titles.

In a reply from the Chief Minister Department, it indicated that the Sabah government through the Land and Survey Department had launched in 2010 a plan to centralize the application process for the subdivided building titles (Subsidiary / strata titles). 

Through the plan, all the applications for strata titles submitted by the developers through its appointed licensed surveyor to the Development Section of the Land and Survey Department will be processed in the headquarter without going through the land office in the district level.

With this plan, over 50% of the applications had been processed, and ready for the issuance of the titles. By centralizing the process has shown advantages like licensed surveyors of the building owners are now submitting their applications directly to the head quarter of the Land and Survey Department without going through the district offices. 

Any query from the Land and Surveyor Department on the application can be handled and responded immediately or directly by the applicants. The most important part is the level of bureaucracy involved in the application process is effectively reduced. With this plan, the process on the approval and issuance of the building subsidiary titles has been speeded up.

Hiew recommended that the Land and survey department to consider imposing a more stringent measure, even with a penalty, to ensure the developers will complete their application process for the subsidiary titles within two years after the issuance of the Occupation Certificates (OC). 

Many older developments have not completed the application process even as long as twenty years, and that had held up the formation of the management corporation by the owners to manage the building by themselves. In many cases there are already plenty of dispute and argument, and much inconveniences caused to the owners.