GATED COMMUNITY (GC) vs GUARDED NEIGHBORHOOD (GN)

GATED COMMUNITY (GC) vs GUARDED NEIGHBORHOOD (GN)

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government, through the Town and Country Planning Department, has come up with a guideline for Gated Community and Guarded Neighborhood. This guideline, approved by the Cabinet and the Majlis Negara bagi Kerajaan Tempatan on 28 July and 2 September 2010 respectively, will be tabled at individual State Planning Committee for adoption and implementation at the state level.

The table below is a summary of the differences between a Gated Community (GC) and Guarded Neighborhood (GN).

Gated Community (With Strata Title)

Guarded Neighbourhood (w/ Individual Title)

Definition: A group of residents or community living within a gated and guarded residential area, be it high-rise property such as apartment, condominium or townhouses or landed property such as bungalows, terrace or semi-detached houses with strata titles. Limited to urban areas. Size of the scheme is between 1ha and 10ha, or 200-500 units. Schemes larger than 10ha needs to be broken into smaller schemes. Cannot build embankment that separates GC and non GC completely. Social impact assessment must be done. Allocate space for interaction in the environmental design. Managed by a Management Corporation. Prepare two entrance-exit points, one as main entrance and the other for emergency. Perimeter fencing of height not more than 9 feet, with at least 50% visible. Entrance equipped by CCTV and road humps. Boom gate cannot be erected on public roads. Guardhouse size of 1.8m x 2.4m is allowed to be built within the GC. The houses cannot be more than 4 levels (18.5 meters) from basement. Visitor’s parking must be allocated. Provision of common facilities.

Definition: A partially or fully controlled area in existing or new housing schemes with individual land titles. The schemes provide security with or without guardhouses. Cannot place physical obstacles on the roads and stop residents and the public from exiting and entering the areas. Limited to urban areas, in particular, areas with high crime rate. Local councils can control the number of units in a scheme to ensure proper control and effective management. Not allowed in neighbourhood with public facilities, or part of public bus route. Establishment of GN needs to be proposed by registered Residents Association and supported by majority of the residents and submitted to local councils. Perimeter fencing is not allowed. Temporary physical obstacles, such as manual boom gate, cones, etc, can be considered provided guards are stationed at the locations 24 hours. Closing of backlanes and sidelines is prohibited. Guardhouse size not bigger than 1.8m x 2.4m is allowed. If permanent guardhouse is to be erected on road shoulders, a Temporary Occupation License (TOL) must be obtained from the land office. Guards need to registered with Home Ministry.                           Source: The Starmetro,                           Thursday 14th Oct 2010

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The Differences Between GC Scheme and GN Scheme

This website compiles all the related information and articles on Gated Community (GC) Scheme ... and Guarded Neighbourhood (GN) Scheme, for your information.

Know the difference between 'GATED COMMUNITY' (GC) ...and 'GUARDED NEIGHBOURHOOD' (GN) schemes in Malaysia.

Now let us go into the details. There are only 2 types of schemes available - Gated Community (GC) scheme ... and Guarded Neighbourhood (GN) scheme. A "Gated & Guarded" (GnG) Community scheme is basically a "Gated Community" (GC) scheme.

All "Strata" title developments will have to implement a "Gated Community" (GC) scheme to manage all its shared facilities, security and common areas under the Strata Title Act 2007. (An example here would be "Eco Ardence", which is also classified as a "private property" residence).

Normally, only Strata title developments (that comes with clubhouse, swimming pool, carpark and other shared facilities) which are categorized under "private property" can apply for a Gated Community (GC) scheme.

However, in a "non-strata" title development ("Individual" title) property/ residence, if the RA wants to implement a "Gated Community" (GC) scheme, then it has to apply from the Land Office to change its land status to "Strata" title first.

The implications here will be serious and detrimental to all its residents - all maintenance works (such as garbage collections, drains, roads, landscape, streetlights, etc) will stop, and no longer come under the responsibility of the local council MPKlang.

These facilities and services will then have to be privately funded and managed by the RA as if it is a "private property". (MPKlang will not render its services to "private property" residences.)

(All Sime Darby Bandar Bukit Raja double-storey link houses here are categorized as "Individual" title properties. They are also categorized as under "public property"). Therefore, no Gated Community" (GC) scheme can be implemented here legally.

In actual fact, all "Individual" title developments (like ours here in Bandar Bukit Raja) can only apply to implement a 'Guarded Neighbourhood' (GN) scheme via their RA obtaining the necessary consent and approvals from the Local Council and the District OCPD, to hire private guards to patrol their residence.

We hope that upon reading and digesting the contents here, you would be better informed and would make the right decisions for all your neighbours. Right now the residents concerned have very little awareness or knowledge on this issue. Know your rights. We have to put a stop to this unscrupulous practice right now.

Anyway, we are beginning to see that there are more residents who are rising up against this sort of scheme. They are beginning to realize and aware that this is nothing more than a money-making scam in the name of "neighbourhood security". There are more residents who are against these than you know.

Despite the ongoing schemes around the neighbourhood, crooks were still able to penetrate into the residences and break into houses. Stopping cars at the guardhouse won't prevent any thief (burgler/ burglers or robbers) ...from sneaking in on foot or climbing over the fence from multiple compromised locations!

Anyways, if you happened to be one of the unfortunate residents whose house being broken into and things stolen, the RA is not going to compensate you one sen even though you subscribe to their scheme. (In insurance, if you pay the premium you get to claim). Is this fraud or what?

To all home owners/residents of landed properties (Non-Strata title), do not be fooled by your RA into joining any of the above mentioned schemes blindly. They cannot force it upon you.

We shall be planning on taking further actions to request the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to audit the accounts of the RA that take in cash payments every month as the amount paid by each household to their RA far exceed the "Assessment Fees" and "Quit Rent" payable to their local council!

The implementation and the hiring of "security services" here is also questionable. Most of the rules and regulations provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the hiring of security guards by the RA are NOT followed. Also they did NOT comply to the guidelines and circulars as required by the State Housing Board. Know your rights! Say no to RA.

We will also be planning further actions here by getting the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) or Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) to investigate if the "security guards" here are licensed and hired according to the laws and regulations (SYARAT-SYARAT LESEN DI BAWAH SEKSYEN 3 AKTA NO. 27/71 UNTUK MENGURUS AGENSI PERSENDIRIAN KAWALAN)

In view of the multiple problems, complaints and the blatant breaking of laws, guidelines and regulations by the RA here, we want this RA to stop operating illegally here. Instead, we want our Polis DiRaja Malaysia (PDRM) back. It's time to leave these security matters back to our local police to do their jobs.

To all other home owners/residents of Bandar Bukit Raja, please DO NOT be fooled by your RA into joining the scheme as this entire development is NOT categorised as a "Gated and Guarded Community". Do not subscribe to illegal schemes!