Illegal house renovations: Improving the renovation guidelines of a local authority through public participation

• Published in: Planning Malaysia
• Main Author: Sarkom Y.; Ghani M.Z.A.; Najib Ibrahim M.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Institute Of Planners 2018
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85056902759&doi=10.21837%2fpmjournal.v16.i7.497&partnerID=40&md5=c6b0d27f2d10946a4d1a2d3e22481a94

Illegal house renovations have created numerous problems to local councils in Malaysia. Enforcement work have cost unnecessary financial burden to local councils as well as losses to the house owners. Hence, this research is aimed at investigating the issues associated with illegal house renovations in a local council and exploring the responses from the local council's stakeholders on the possibility of involving the public in reframing the house renovation guidelines. A qualitative research method of focus group discussion was held among the related stakeholders in Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ). The findings indicated that the problems with illegal renovations are mainly due to the unsuitable guideline itself, the level of understanding of the public, the unrestrained small contractors and the complicated enforcement procedures. The council's stakeholders also agreed that more community involvement is encouraged in restructuring the existing renovation guideline, but not to the extent of giving the public all the rights to decide the final outcome. © 2018 by MIP.