KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — The National House Buyers Association said yesterday it was unacceptable for the management of a condominium complex in Shah Alam to turn away potential tenants just because they were not Malaysian.

The association’s honorary secretary-general, Chang Kim Loong, said any by-law passed must be consistent with the Strata Management Regulations 2015.

“They (the management) must obey the laws of the local council as well,” he said in a statement.

“We cannot have a negative perception of foreigners. It is akin to discrimination and it is derogatory to label them.”

He was responding to a Malay Mail report on a banner put up at the entrance of Alam Prima condominium in Section 22, Shah Alam, with the message “Foreigner you are not welcome to stay here ..!”

A member of the condominium’s joint-management body confirmed the “no foreigner” rule, claiming it was to avoid cultural clashes that may arise from their ignorance about the customs of the Malay-majority residents.

Chang said as there were many foreign owners of properties in Langkawi who could thereotically ban local tenants.

“There are plenty of foreign owners in Langkawi and they could retaliate by banning Malaysians. So there should not be any nationality profiling,” he said.

“Can you imagine foreigners doing the same to our citizens overseas?”

He said the commissioner of buildings (COB) in the Shah Alam City Council must take action on the matter.

“They could call in the joint management committee for a dialogue to be educated on the rights and responsibilities of owners and tenants,” he said.

“The commissioner could also seek legal recourse at the Strata Management Tribunal to invalidate resolutions unanimously.”

Chang said although it was the right of the management body to prohibit the building from being used as a hostel, it had no right to check on individual tenancy agreements.

“No property, whether landed or stratified, can be converted to hostel status without prior approval from the local council,” he said.

“I don’t think one can stop an owner from renting his property to a foreigner unless it is against a legislation or local authorities by-law or regulations.”