![Why I said that the JMB/MC cannot issue a fine against anyone for obstructing the passageways or stairways?(1) The parag...](https://img3.medioq.com/144/605/1169059871446052.jpg)
18/01/2025
Why I said that the JMB/MC cannot issue a fine against anyone for obstructing the passageways or stairways?
(1) The paragraph 20(2) of the by-laws as provided under the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015 has laid out a mechanism to deal with such a matter whereby the JMB/MC can remove these obstruction with or without notice, and then allow the parcel owners to redeem their confiscated property within 14 days from the date of the notice being given and also to pay the charges of not more than RM200.00 for this purpose;
(2) The by-laws do not provide that a fine could be imposed under this situation. The imposition of the fines are not automatically allowed unless with the power given to the JMB/MC under a resolution which is passed in an AGM/EGM pursuant to Paragraph 7(1) of the by-laws;
(3) If you try to impose a fine by way of passing a resolution (with simple majority to approve) or by making additional by-laws (with 75% of valid votes being cast) in the AGM/EGM, the parcel owners would be at risk of being imposed a fine on top of the charges payable to the JMB/MC. This is prohibited under the principle of double jeopardy as no law would allow a person to be meted out penalties for twice on the same breach of the by-laws;
(4) As the fine is criminal in nature, no fine shall be imposed against a parcel owner just because the obstruction was found on the passageways or stairways. There is possibly that certain items are not belong to the parcel owner himself. Just simply issuing a fine without concrete proof may land the JMB/MC in the hot soup which would usually ended up in the court or the Strata Management Tribunal. It would be safer to put up a notice for the parcel owners to come forward and claim back their confiscated property; and
(5) Following the principle of double jeopardy, once a parcel owner is slapped with a fine for obstructing the passageways and if he/she is willing (or not willing) to pay a fine without removing the obstruction, then the JMB/MC cannot continue to take further action by slapping another fine or even to remove these obstruction including to impose the charges for removal purpose. By allowing the JMB/MC to remove these obstruction and then to impose the charges against the parcel owners, it would be deemed as double jeopardy which is also against natural justice.
Hope that my explanation would be helpful.