Activation of Lift Lobby Access Card System

The lift lobby access card system at all the lift lobbies of Komplek Suria Kinrara will be activated on the 1 March 2012.

This is a directive from the management office and hope this will be done as advised.

Owners who have not collected the card are advised to do so in order to avoid any inconvenience. Each apartment unit owner is required to pay RM150.00 for two cards. Additional cards, limited to two cards per apartment unit, will be charged at RM4.00 per card.  Any request for more than four cards will be subjected to an application with proof of the need. The application will be processed at the discretion of the management office.

This is the card reader.
Just tap the card at the reader to open the
magnetic lock.

Lost or damaged card will cost RM50.00 per card replacement.

Many owners have yet to collect the cards. Some tenants are encountering problems getting the cards from their landlords. Some owners not staying at the complex, are not aware of the implementation date of the lift lobby access card system. 

This is the Notice put up by the
Management company at the lift lobby.

Management company only put up the notice at the notice board of each lift lobby one month ago. Some tenants took the initiative to notify their landlords.  However, some landlords are not reachable due to overseas trips or out of the town.

According to the management office, each and every owners not staying at the complex will be notified by telephone.  But this may not be true. Some owners have emailed and called after reading this blog.

Despite of some issues of legitimacy and reliability of the system,  this is one system that will enhance the security of the apartment owners and tenants. Therefore, all owners are encouraged to ensure that the system is activated and function properly by 1 March 2012.

You can open this one-way lock from outside,
until the side of the grille is sealed.

For owners and tenants who are yet to collect the cards, the guards will be on duty at one of the lift lobby in each block to assist owners/tenants during this transition period. After this transition period of two weeks, owners without the access card may face the inconvenience of using the lift. The staircase is available during this interim period until the one-way lock is effective by sealing up the exposed side to prevent intruders from opening the grille door from outside.

Some owners have arrears in management fees and facing financial difficulties in settling all the outstanding charges plus the RM150.00. I have spoken to the management to give due consideration to those financially disadvantaged owners on a case to case basis.

With this lift lobby access card system plus the guards on duty, the management must endeavor to eliminate unwanted visitors, vandalism of common properties and crime in the complex. The performance of the management company is being monitored and watched  closely by all owners and tenants.

Lift Lobby Access Card System - Is this legitimate?

How effective and secure this system is?

The card reader and magnetic lock for the lift lobby access card system is completely installed. But, is the system fully operational?  Just re-visit the problem with the car park access card system and the grilles installation. This simple system took more the six (6) months for commissioning. FFMS, the management company, has a track record for poor implementation and control of facilities. The Management services provided by FFMS left more questions on effectiveness and integrity.

On the 8 February 2012, the supplier was still working on the software side of the system. The staff is yet to be trained in managing the system.

FFMS told owners that the card application would be process this week(6 - 11February 2012). All owners will be notified individually and notice will be posted at all lift lobbies. Up to this point in time (this blog posting time), there is no further development.

Each owner will be provided with two (2) cards free of charge. Additional two cards will be at RM3.00 per card. Any request for more than four cards will be at the discretion of the management and RA, subject to application and qualification.

The Magnetic lock is fastened to the grille by
 6 screws only.

The lift access card system is unlikely to be different in term of operational timing.  You may not be surprised to pay RM150.00 and get the card but the system is not working. Then, they will give a host of excuses. Software not working lah, computer crashed lah, blah blah blah whatsoever.  Many owners anticipated this problem.

Let’s leave the system technical and operational issues aside for the time being. 

Was the system properly evaluated and think through before implementation?
Some children or wheel chair bound resident cannot reach the reader.

Did all the owners or majority of the owners sanctioned the RA and FFMS to install this system? Did the RA or FFMS obtain a mandate from the owners to implement this lift lobby access card system?  The answer is NO.  Neither the RA nor FFMS has the power to implement this system, without prior mandate from the owners. Even with the consent of the RA, this is illegitimate.  The RA’s constitution clearly stated that any capital expenditure (purchase of equipments or fixture and fittings) more than RM10.000.00 (Ringgit: Ten thousands) requires the approval of members in general meeting. The RA committee has exceeded it’s authority. Hence, this approval given to FFMS to install access card system is illegitimate (ultra vires the constitution of RA). 

Moreover, FFMS position in managing Suria Kinrara is illegal. Under the Building and Common Property (Maintenance & Management) Act 2007, the JMB must be formed by the developer and the owners 12 month after the hand-over date of vacant possession. The vacant possession of Suria Kinrara was officially handed over to purchasers on 11 October 2010, Hence, the presence of FFMS is illegal.

With this question of legitimacy, can FFMS compel all owners to pay RM150.00 for the access card system?  Should some owners refuse to pay, what can FFMS do? Lets see who will challenge them.