Preventive maintenance, including routine checks and timely replacements, needed to avoid tragedy, says expert
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s high-rise residents may be living with overlooked structural risks. The recent deadly fire in Hong Kong, which engulfed a residential tower and claimed multiple lives, has thrown a harsh spotlight on the hidden risks in high-rise buildings – risks that many experts warn are mirrored in Malaysia. Years of reactive maintenance and chronic underfunding have left fire safety systems in many buildings vulnerable, failing quietly until disaster strikes.
Malaysian Association of Facility Management (MAFM) vice president Dr Mohd Mazhar Mohd Marzuki said the problem stems from how building management is approached.
“In many apartments and condominiums, maintenance only happens after a problem becomes obvious. Preventive measures – like regular inspections, testing and timely replacements are too often seen as an unnecessary expense rather than an essential investment.”
He said this mindset is especially common in older flats and low-cost high-rises, where limited budgets and technical expertise push fire systems down the priority list.
“Leaky pipes, broken lifts and other day-to-day complaints usually take precedence, while alarms, sprinklers and fire pumps are left unchecked. Vandalism can make matters worse – fire extinguishers are stolen and equipment is damaged in some areas.”
Mohd Mazhar cited a 2024 facilities surveyor’s report, which found that older buildings frequently under-utilise sinking funds and delay major repairs, compounding risks.
“If you never budget to replace that old pump or rewire that alarm panel, it will eventually fail. By then, it might be too late or tragically, a deadly fire may occur,” he warned.
Proactive maintenance, he added, is not just a safety issue – it’s an economic one.
“Well-maintained buildings protect residents and preserve property values. Poor maintenance endangers lives and destroys property value. Nobody wants to live in a ‘fire trap’ once word gets out,” he said, adding that public awareness plays a crucial role.
“Fire drills and safety training are seldom practised and residents rarely pressure management about fire equipment until an emergency occurs. In countries with established maintenance cultures, fire systems are treated as life-critical infrastructure, with regular checks and detailed logs.”
Encouragingly, organisations such as the Institution of Engineers and the Fire and Rescue Department have been advocating for preventive maintenance.
“Planned preventive maintenance (PPM) reports are slowly becoming more common, but compliance is minimal. Many building owners only meet bare legal requirements, like renewing fire certificates annually, without additional drills or audits.”
Mohd Mazhar stressed the urgent need for change.
“To truly protect lives, we must shift from a ‘fix after failure’ approach to a ‘fix before failure’ philosophy. Routine inspection of smoke detectors, timely replacement of old fire pumps and regular testing of emergency lighting and exits should become second nature for building management.”
Until that shift happens, residents of ageing flats and high-rises are living with an invisible gamble: sprinklers, alarms and fire doors – often neglected and unchecked – may or may not function when they are needed most, as the tragic Hong Kong fire painfully demonstrated.
