This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 17, 2023 - July 23, 2023

The function hall at the 21-storey Tara Condominium in Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur, features wooden-framed swivel glass doors, a design that was popular in the 1990s. After all, the condominium was completed in 1992. Nevertheless, the classic design still feels relevant 31 years later.

The doors open up to the swimming pool, around which there is new timber flooring. Next to it is a newly erected structure, a glass building that houses the gymnasium.

Other upgrades have also been done. These came about when the residents decided to be proactive in the management and maintenance of the building. Management Corporation chairman Md Noor Nordin explains that he had worked in Australia before returning to Malaysia a few years ago and witnessed the awful management and maintenance of the building at the time.

“I told [my neighbour] Datuk Seri Giles Bien that we should take over the management and change the management company. That’s when we brought in Hartamas Asset Management Sdn Bhd on Jan 1, 2016,” he recalls.

He adds that the owners were initially reluctant to invest in the management and maintenance of the building when he and Giles laid out the upgrading works. Eventually they came around, understanding that the upgrading would make the building look nicer with a quality space and create better value.

 Tara Condominium is the Silver winner of the 10 Years and Above — Multiple-owned Strata Residential category in The Edge Malaysia Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards 2023.

“Datuk Seri Giles and I brought together all the owners to see our point of view — that the condominium was not well managed, at least not to our standard. We convinced the owners that Tara needed to look more modern. When Tara was built, it was one of the better condos in Ampang Hilir. But eventually, the [market] design changed and the use of glass is [now] more common to give the perception of a more spacious area,” says Md Noor.

“Giles had been the chairman and was involved in works such as redesigning the façade. He did a great job, while the committee gave ideas on how to improve on the development. Tara was looking a bit dated, and Giles — being an architect — did a lot of work at no cost. For many years, he was the chairman and this year, I became the chairman. We work together very well.”

Hartamas Asset Management director Patrick Chong thinks it is important for the residents to volunteer for the management and maintenance of the building. “It is not easy as it is a volunteer job. The residents have to spend their time contributing and supporting, and that takes a lot of effort. Having a committed committee is important,” he says.

There were several issues in keeping Tara Condominium in good condition after 31 years and a lot of time and money have been spent in upgrading the building, he adds.

“For example, we changed the pool deck to timber tiles and built a new gymnasium. Then, we upgraded the fire fighting system and the control room. We also repainted the façade of the building and installed an aluminium louvre to cover the yard area of the building,” says Chong.

The repainting of the building also involved roof repairs and external window sill sealant work, while the installation of the aluminium louvre improved the uniformity of the building’s external façade.

The previously rotten wooden trellis structures at the swimming pool were replaced with new trellis with powder-coated aluminium.

Improvement of the fire protection system included the addition of a fire curtain in the genset room, installation of a pilot cylinder in the low-voltage room, installation of a tripping device for the exhaust fan in the carbon dioxide panel as well as replacement of the fire hydrant pipe.

The fire protection system panel was also upgraded and has since been relocated to the control room from the guard house.

The electrical system has been improved with the installation of TNB Smart Meters for all units to allow for more accurate meter reading. There was servicing and maintenance of high transmission and low voltage equipment to ensure the safety of the electricity supply, along with genset servicing.

“An additional fibre-reinforced plastic water storage tank [was installed] as a reserve tank in the event of water disruption to maintain the comfort of the residents. [Then Hartamas Asset Management building manager and current area manager Thuaibatul] Aslamiah [Md Salleh] has been here since day one and she has been helpful,” says Chong.

“We had a long water disruption in 2016 and she went to Air Selangor to request for extra tanks to be sent to Tara Condominium. The committee appreciates her efforts. It is important to get good personnel to manage a building.”

Md Noor concurs. “I am involved in the manufacturing business and employ many people from different countries. I recognise skills and how to make things happen because things don’t just happen. I have always praised her,” he says.

“It is never easy to do anything well. We are fortunate that everyone knows each other here. We have rules that everyone must abide by.”

The proud Tara Condominium owner adds that there are rarely any defaulters. Aslamiah points out that the management has no issues in terms of collection.

“We use a friendly way to remind the owners if they pay the service charges late because they might be travelling. We approach them through WhatsApp. Once we remind them, they will pay. And so far, there have been no major issues.”

Chong adds that as the management knows all the owners and the relationship is personal, it helps with the collection. Tara Condominium, with 68 units and built-ups ranging from 1,079 to 5,400 sq ft, has an occupancy rate of 95%, with the majority being owner-occupiers.

As a veteran of the manufacturing industry, Md Noor is no stranger to planned preventive maintenance. Thus, he understands the importance of such an exercise in building management and maintenance.

“We don’t wait for things to break down and then repair or fix them. It is about planned preventive maintenance and supervision. We always remind the management to do the walk and not just the talk.”

Planned preventive maintenance helps to reduce ad hoc repairs and maintenance, says Chong. “In the long run, it helps to reduce operating expenditure and the disruption of comfort.”

Hartamas Asset Management associate director Low Siang Fong reckons that planned preventive maintenance helps Tara Condominium plan ahead of the budget needed for any upgrade and maintenance. “We plan ahead what needs to be done first based on the fund.”

For Tara Condominium, apart from ensuring the safety of the residents, proper maintenance is important to preserve the aesthetic value of the building which, in turn, will affect the commercial value of the building.

The in-house technician conducts periodic inspections according to a checklist, which includes mechanical and electrical (M&E) equipment, plumbing and sanitary system, CCTV, access card system and all the riser rooms.

Corrective maintenance is carried out when necessary to ensure equipment and systems are running again upon repair or replacement. This is important to identify the reason for a failure and to allow actions to be taken to eliminate or reduce the frequency of such failures in the future.

The management performs a routine walkabout inspection on all aspects of the property, including all the common facilities, plumbing and sanitary system, and the building’s M&E rooms, and installation in accordance with the designed operation specifications.

Aslamiah reckons that the next challenge for the building is the Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway built next to it. “With the expectation of dust and noise from the highway, it is a challenge we will need to tackle when it opens to the public.”

Md Noor retains his love for Tara Condominium, noting that it is a nice building with a clean and quiet environment. “The residents are well behaved and it is a harmonious community. It is about the mindset and organisation in managing a building. All these help to create a pleasant living environment.”

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