HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 January 2022 – Ms. Yu Chun, President of The Hong Kong Institute of Housing (HKIH) sent a letter to the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government last week and proposed the followings regarding the 2022-23 Budget:
(1) Allocate budget to strengthen anti-epidemic measures in old districts and rural village areas
The COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong remains challenging. Therefore, it is critical to improve hygiene of local community to fight the virus. However, some buildings in old districts and rural villages do not have proper property management (PM) support and cleaning services, they are areas of great potential risk under the pandemic.
HKIH Recommendations
For buildings with confirmed cases or residents who are required to receive compulsory testing , HKIH suggested the Government to allocate funding in the 2022-23 Budget for a one-off comprehensive cleaning action for these buildings, their surrounding lanes and streets. The initiative can maintain the overall environmental hygiene of these areas, thus reducing the chance of transmission as well as the risk faced by the community. It also serves the purpose of reminding owners and residents of the importance of professional property management and environmental hygiene.
(2) Allocate budget to encourage residents of old buildings or village houses to engage PM services under the pandemic
Over the years, quite a number of old buildings in the urban area and village houses in remote areas do not have effective and professional property maintenance and management, since they are not supported by any residents’ organizations and management companies. Different problems arise under the pandemic, such as building management, environmental hygiene, security, maintenance, illegal alterations and changes in building use, etc. As a result, the Government has to face the problems which can actually be solved by engaging consistent, professional and effective property management services. Under pandemic crisis, citizens have stronger awareness of the need for good property management and the Government should seize this golden opportunity to encourage them to engage effective property management services.
HKIH Recommendations
Therefore, HKIH suggested the Government to reserve budget in the 2022-23 Budget to provide seed funding for the establishment of Owners’ Corporations (OC) and hire PM services. The seed funding can be used for initial appointment of professional PM companies or for setting up of CCTV systems. It can help improving residents’ living environment and extending the lifespan of buildings, as well as, ensuring the safety and hygiene of these areas in local community.
(3) Subsidies for implementing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Charging Scheme
HKIH is delighted that The Waste Disposal (Charging for Municipal Solid Waste) (Amendment) Bill 2018 was passed by the Legislative Council. To comply with civil responsibility and support environmental protection, HKIH believes that the PM industry will show full support to the scheme. All in all, properties with OCs or PM companies will have a higher success rate in proper execution of waste reduction initiatives. However, it may be difficult for residents of some old buildings or rural village houses to comply with this statutory requirement as they are lack of PM services and monitoring systems. This may hinder the effectiveness of waste reduction.
HKIH Recommendations
HKIH hopes that the Government will subsidize installation of CCTV system for old buildings and rural village houses without PM company for monitoring illegal garbage disposal and will also subsidize in upgrading or installing public refuse collection points/recycle bins in order to enhance hygiene of nearby areas too. Installation of CCTV system can also alleviate manpower burden and reduce management fee if a PM company is engaged in future. This will benefit small properties of limited owners to have PM services at an affordable cost. At the same time, HKIH suggested the Government to reserve budget for distributing designated garbage bags to residents free of charge at the early stage of MSW implementation so as to assist residents to get used to the new Scheme.
(4) Allocate budget to encourage digitalization of the city and PM industry.
Digital transformation of the city is a popular trend. Recently, many PM companies have launched AI-management. Supplemented with technology and service, it can be used in daily management work and provide a more high-quality living experience for citizens. Nevertheless, hindered by cost-effectiveness concerns among network providers, old districts and remote areas in Hong Kong are seriously short of facilities like optical fibres and launch stations. Thus, it hinders the overall pace of digital transformation in Hong Kong.
HKIH Recommendations
HKIH suggested the Government to establish a long-term and comprehensive plan for Hong Kong’s 5G infrastructure projects in the 2022-23 Budget to establish necessary network infrastructures for areas in need. Besides, the Government should provide funding or subsidies for developing innovative technology and deploying latest devices in the PM industry. It can help accelerating 5G infrastructure development and benefit the digital transformation of the PM industry, old buildings’ management, and Hong Kong society as a whole.
About The Hong Kong Institute of Housing
The Hong Kong Institute of Housing (“the Institute”) was incorporated in Hong Kong on 29 November 1988 under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) as a company limited by guarantee. Effective from 9 May 1997, the Institute has become a body corporate under The Hong Kong Institute of Housing Ordinance (Cap. 507, originally 34 of 1997). The Institute has been announced as one of the first-batch Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs) of PMSA since December 2019.
#TheHongKongInstituteofHousing
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Services
Stakeholder mapping, analysis, engagement and communication needs to be detailed to avoid business losses or even worse, a crisis. How can you do this effectively to prevent failure? ...
Data-driven business decisions have never been as crucial, especially in this era. MGBF leverages off, technology, experience and market presence to aid businesses in making accurate decisions. ...
MGBF provides comprehensive strategic advice and results-focused solutions to solve clients' problems in business-government relations so they can focus on their core business. ...
A critical business challenge is meeting the right decision-makers and potential buyers through the best channel and platform. How will you improve your business competency? ...
Upcoming Events
In this episode of 'A Working Lunch with Nordin', MGBF's Nordin Abdullah and regional commentator Eddin Khoo will discuss the biggest threats and opportunities for businesses as we look to manage change in the South China Sea.
This MGBF Roundtable will feature thought leaders form Japan, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia dealing with the critical issues of manipulation of public listed companies and government and their financial impacts.
A series of networking sessions with various business associations and trade organisations exploring high-value opportunities for business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to build the relationships that matter.
This integrated event will include a forum, dedicated business matching, site visits, a gala dinner and a round of golf. Aptly themed, the focus will be on regional food security issues and trends in the context of the supply chain, agriculture technology and trade regulations and policies.
MGBF In The News
Planet QEOS and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) are interested in investing RM10 billion to co-develop advanced Megawatt peak (MWp) agrovoltaic in Baram, to further boost Sarawak’s green energy initiative and food security. Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was briefed on Friday by both the […]
Last week SPM results came out, 373,974 aspirants who have been waiting patiently over the last few months would now know their fate. Some 10,109 have received all A’s, the golden standard of academic success and the ticket to those looking to study the “more advanced” subjects in university. Proudly, […]
The classic knee-jerk reaction is to say, fire the coach, change the leadership of associations, and reduce the funding till they start performing better. This kind of negative reinforcement may work for kindergarten children, but we are dealing with high-performance adults – individuals much further along in their psychological and […]
Since its earliest tea plantations in 1929, Cameron Highlands has grown to become a key player in the agricultural landscape of Malaysia, producing 40 per cent of all vegetables grown. Despite Malaysia shifting its economic focus away from agriculture, the industry remains imperative for food security and the livelihoods of […]
Although at first glance the travel industry and the agricultural sector appear to have nothing in common, they actually share more than meets the eye. The economic benefits of tourism to the agricultural sector can be multiplied several times over. “Tourism brings the end consumers closer to the source, which […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) recently held a high-level roundtable themed ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’, attended by industry leaders and business associations. The guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Bendera in Penang. The MP’s Special Session […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) will be hosting a roundtable on ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’ on 23 February 2023. It is the culmination of the first three MGBF Exclusive Roundtable Series titled ‘The Evolving Threat Matrix in the Digital Economy’ held throughout 2022. According to the […]
The Founding Chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF), Nordin Abdullah, today spoke on Bernama TV’s leading English talk show, The Brief, hosted by Jessy Chahal, on the topic of a stable political reality and what that means for the Malaysian economy. Nordin said, “The first thing that it […]
More than 1,100 years ago, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was developing the mathematical formulas that we know today as algorithms which now have become so intertwined with the business fortunes of global media giants and the very fabric of geopolitics. A series of recent high level international reports have revealed […]
KSK Land has been recognised by the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) for its role in attracting high net-worth individuals to Malaysia post-pandemic. The first challenge in investor attraction is “selling” the country. In the context of Asia, Malaysia is competing with some very established investment destinations. The second […]
Malaysia, in particular Kuala Lumpur, continues to position itself as a regional centre to do business, educate a family and enjoy a global lifestyle. One company, KSK Land, has taken the lead in positioning itself and the city of Kuala Lumpur as a property investment destination for the global citizen […]
The upcoming budget represents an opportunity to build resilience in the critical sectors that will form the backbone of the country’s future-facing economic ambitions. This however needs to be achieved in the context of managing the community sectors most impacted by COVID-19 over the past two years. The Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) […]
Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has moved to support the creative economy as the overall economy moves into a recovery phase following the COVID19 pandemic. As a step in the direction of normalcy, the MGBF has agreed to host the art exhibition “I Know You’re Somewhere So Far” by one […]
Congratulations to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for taking up the mantle of the ninth prime minister of Malaysia. There is nothing normal about the situation; it could not have been scripted but it has kept the spectrum of media, mainstream and social, gripped. The first order of business for […]
In a stirring speech to the nation, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. stamped his brand of leadership on the presidency, in his first act as the 46th president of the United State of America, it signaled several shifts. Perhaps the weather was foreboding with snow falling before the ceremony that […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 July 2022 – As the global economy continues to deal with unprecedented levels of disruption caused by the pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the convergence of energy security and food security issues has become a front-of-mind issue faced by policy makers and consumers alike. […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2022 — Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) ties up with scoutAsia to ensure that businesses are equipped with deeper regional insights. The past two years has seen a massive shift in the way businesses are conducted with digitisation, digitalisation and automation continuously being adopted to improve […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 May 2022 – The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Security Concerns in Critical Value Chains’ was held in a hybrid setting yesterday at the Eastin Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honour was Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, former minister of […]
We live in the age of crisis. At the heart of any crisis is the threat of rapid change. Change too deep or too wide that the current coping mechanisms for an individual, corporation or government are unable to remain resilient. An unwelcome paradigm shift, like the proverbial spider, that […]