PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s building standards are strong on paper, yet weak enforcement and poor upkeep may expose certain residential towers to avoidable safety issues.
The deadly blaze in Hong Kong is a stark warning of what could happen if fire safety systems fail.
Malaysian Association of Facility Management (MAFM) vice president Dr Mohd Mazhar Mohd Marzuki said while laws such as the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (UBBL), Fire Services Act 1988 and Strata Management Act 2013 set robust design standards, there is no comprehensive legal mandate for ongoing preventive maintenance.
“The UBBL and Fire Services Act set stringent requirements for alarms, sprinklers and exit routes during construction, but these regulations largely lose force once the building is occupied.
“It remains possible and indeed, common, for a residential building to go years with inoperative fire systems and face no penalties until a fire or ad-hoc inspection exposes the issue,” Mohd Mazhar said.
Under current rules, high-risk premises such as hospitals, schools and very high-rise residential towers must obtain annual fire certificates from the Fire and Rescue Department.
“During inspections, any malfunctioning system must be rectified before certification is renewed. However, older or smaller buildings, including many low-cost flats, often fall outside this requirement.”
Mohd Mazhar highlighted that the Strata Management Act 2013, while mandating that management corporations maintain common property, does not require preventive inspections or system upgrades.
“None of the current laws give a holistic mandate for preventive maintenance of fire systems with regular verification.”
He said upcoming legal reforms could help close the gaps.
“Fire and Rescue Department officials have suggested extending legal responsibility for fire safety to contractors, building owners and property managers.
“Proposed measures include appointing a ‘fire competent person’ for each high-rise to regularly verify that alarms, pumps, sprinklers and exit routes are operational. Having a qualified fire safety manager ensures systems are routinely checked and problems are caught before they become life-threatening emergencies,” Mohd Mazhar said.
However, he said enforcement remains a challenge.
“Existing laws provide mechanisms to sanction negligence, but inspections are often reactive rather than preventive. Audits of older public housing flats frequently reveal dead alarm panels, non-functional sprinklers and blocked exits – yet legal action is rare until a disaster occurs.”
Mohd Mazhar added that legal reform alone is not enough, as cultural and budgetary factors also play a role.
“Many public housing blocks and low-cost apartments operate with very limited budgets. Fire safety systems, being out of sight and hopefully never needed, often slip down the priority list until a fire occurs.”
He stressed that residents and management alike must be proactive.
“Building owners and management should be held to high standards, with legal teeth and public accountability. Residents should be empowered and encouraged to voice concerns. If an escape door is locked or a fire extinguisher is missing, it must be reported and fixed immediately.”
He added that Malaysia can learn from regional neighbors such as Singapore, where buildings are required to have fire safety managers and regular preventive inspections.
“Malaysia has avoided some of the worst high-rise fire disasters seen elsewhere – with concerted effort, we can keep it that way.”
