Joint Management Bodies (JMBs) have the authority to regulate pet ownership in condominiums and apartments, but this power should not be interpreted as an absolute right to arbitrarily ban owners from keeping animals in their private residential units.

Lawyer and partner at Messrs Akram Hizri Azad & Azmir, Akram Abdul Aziz, JMBs’ authority under the Strata Management Act 2013 is subject to statutory by-laws and cannot contradict existing statutory provisions.

“JMBs indeed have the authority to regulate, but such regulation cannot be used as a licence to impose a blanket ban on all animal ownership,” he told Bernama.

Concurring with this view, lawyer Ivan Ong of Messrs Ivan Gan & Liaw said enforcement action could only be taken if there is clear evidence that the animals concerned caused a nuisance, posed a safety threat, or affected the health of other residents.