KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) will set up a specific agency to boost the efficiency of strata management.

Its minister, Zuraida Kamarudin said, currently, almost 73 per cent of residence in Malaysia were in the form of strata and the need for the agency was to tackle issues related to strata.

"Maybe, we need to review the policy of strata home management under the Commissioner of Building (COB) and strata management.

"There must be a change review to create a large agency, because it has to tackle complicated issues in strata management,” she told reporters after holding a meeting with Hindus at the Sri Raja Rajeswary Temple, Ampang, near here.

In the meantime, Zuraida, who is also Ampang Member of Parliament, said MHLG would also empower the Housing and Strata Management Tribunal (HSM) 

"MHLG is in the process of reviewing to reform the tribunal policy, COB policy, strata management and abandoned housing policy.

"We are also holding workshop sessions with interested parties and amendment to the act (if necessary) will also be looked at and it is hoped the review is completed before the end of 2020,” she said.

Meanwhile, commenting on discussion with the temple management, Zuraida, hoped the temple and Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas), involved in the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) project, (near the temple) could co-operate for long term positive impacts.

"The number of worshippers to the temple is said to have lessened due to the construction of SUKE, other than the demolition of the quarters of the priests to make way for the project.

"Prolintas has built temporary cabins for the priests but maybe both sides can discuss concerning building permanent quarters,” she said. SUKE which started in 2016 was expected to be completed in 2020.

Among the issues raised by the management of the temple was the business of registering marriages at the temple, turning the temple into a tourism hub and changing the status of the parking lot to land for religious worship (from commercial land currently). — Bernama