15/07/2026

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WEDNESDAY | JULY 15, 2026

Need for rethink on tackling housing mismatch o Besides price, we must look at location, connectivity, people’s requirements and access to financing: Rehda Institute chairman

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

KELANA JAYA: Malaysia’s housing challenges have become quite complex, with 32,800 completed homes worth RM16.37 billion sitting unsold as of first quarter 2026. Nearly half of these unsold units, about 15,400 homes or 46.9%, are priced at RM300,000 and below. Despite these staggering numbers, Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia Institute (Rehda Institute) chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng said, many Malaysians are still struggling to find homes they can afford. “If we have tens of thousands of completed homes sitting empty while Malaysians cannot find affordable housing, our challenge is not simply about building enough affordable homes. “We need to ask: Are we building the right homes, in the right locations, at the right price points, for people who actually need them? “The fact that nearly 47% of unsold units are under RM300,000 – what we traditionally call ‘affordable’ – should make us rethink. “If even homes in the affordable price range are not selling, then price alone cannot explain the problem. We must also look at location, connectivity, household needs, access to financing, and whether what we are building actually matches local demand,” Ng told reporters at the prelaunch of the Regional Housing Conference 2026 and the “Housing For All: Co Creating A Needs Driven Framework” yesterday. He also said the planning of sustainable cities, such as the use of land, retaining nature, delivering infrastructure and using technology, is all part of the same housing ecosystem. “To tackle traffic congestion that seriously affects work productivity, we must balance urban sprawl and encourage more public transport use. “Homes located further from the city may have lower purchase prices, but truly affordable housing goes beyond the sticker price – it must include the cost of living and lifestyle in that location. “Transit-oriented development matters because Malaysia’s major rail investments create opportunities to realign housing, transport and urban planning so people can live closer to jobs, services, facilities and amenities. Ng said Rehda Institute’s latest research publication will be officially launched by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming on July 28. The key findings of the report will be presented on July 29 during the Regional

market data, and reducing excessive cross subsidisation so that the M40 are not unintentionally “punished”. Further, it calls for integrating national housing data, using systems such as HIMS, DOSM, Napic, Teduh, MUO and Padu, so that policymakers can make decisions based on complete, up-to-date information. The study also stresses that while everyone has a role in affordable housing, including the government, banks, developers and industry, social and public housing should remain mainly government-led. “It supports the idea of a single national housing agency to coordinate housing matters more effectively, backed by better data and closer collaboration across agencies,” Ng said. The upcoming Regional Housing Con ference 2026 aims to tackle a central question on how Malaysians can build a housing ecosystem that is equitable, resilient and aligned with 21st century urban realities. Organised by Rehda Institute in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) and held alongside the Asean Real Estate Conference, the regional housing conference will bring together specialists from the University of Cambridge, Hong Kong and Singapore, plus senior representatives from Malaysia’s housing, planning, transport and finance agencies. Delegates will benchmark international practice and translate global insights into practical, implementable solutions for Malaysia – from improved affordability metrics to reforms in delivery and financing. Under the theme “Housing Impact on Sustainable Urban Development and City Planning”, sessions will showcase how artificial intelligence, integrated data platforms and digital twins can detect demand mismatches early, optimise phasing and reduce the number of unsold completed stock. Panels will explore modernised affordability measures that factor in mortgage access, household structure, and location efficiency – enabling better-targeted subsidies, land release, and policy calibration.

From left: Rehda Institute director of research and education Malathi Thevendran, Rehda Malaysia national treasurer Datuk David Lim Boon Huat, Rehda Institute trustees Datuk Muztaza and Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok, Jeffrey Ng, Rehda Institute trustee Datuk Ng Seing Liong, Rehda Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Tan Hon Lim and Rehda Institute COO David S. Chong displaying the report.

month have tripled since 2014. Because of these changes, Ng said, rigid and outdated housing rules no longer fit the reality on the ground. The study’s key findings show that middle income (M40) households are under growing pressure. For the first time, their home ownership rate has fallen below that of the B40. “Cross-subsidisation – where open-market homes help fund price-controlled units – has pushed up prices for regular buyers, especially the middle class. “Policies have not kept pace with changing demand, resulting in many unsold units, including homes we label ‘affordable,’” Ng said. To address these challenges, the report calls for a more dynamic, data-driven framework. This includes reviewing housing quotas and policy requirements regularly, based on real

Housing Conference. Unveiling a snapshot preview of Rehda Institute’s latest study entitled “Housing For All: Co-Creating A Needs-Driven Framework”, Ng said that for Malaysians of all income levels to keep owning homes, housing policies must follow real needs and real data, not just old rules. He said past policies did help many people own homes, but Malaysia has changed – with population numbers, incomes and lifestyles that are different now. The report highlights some big shifts in Malaysia, with Bumiputera now making up 70% of citizens, up from 61% in 1991. The biggest group of households earn RM3,000-RM4,999 a month, which points to an “affordable” house price range of about RM200,000-RM300,000. Households earning RM13,000 or more per

Selangor unveils BLAST to help SMEs win deals from large, mid-tier firms

will be able to increase by 5%. That is our initial target.” This marks only the first phase of the programme, with more initiatives planned to help local SMEs meet the standards required to supply anchor companies and other players in the same sectors, he said. “We will handhold the SMEs in order for them to meet international standards. Because if they want to supply products or services to this kind of international company, they need to meet inter national standards.” Going forward, Ng said, the state government plans to expand the pro gramme to more SMEs and strategic sectors to attract more quality investment. “For every investment we bring into Selangor, the number matters. Whether it is a billion or several hundred million, that number matters. But at the same time, for us, what matters more is how

purpose is to develop local SMEs,” he told reporters after the launch yesterday. “The approach is very straightforward. We have brought in several anchor investors who are based in, or have entered, Selangor. And these anchor investors will help local SMEs by using services or buying products from SME companies here.” Ng said the anchor investors involved are Base Maintenance Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sime UMW Aerospace, Duopharma Biotech Bhd, Bridge Data Centres Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd. “This represents a large investment in Selangor, and they need all kinds of services or supplies from SMEs,”he added. Twelve SMEs have been selected for the pioneer cohort, with the state targeting a 5% revenue increase for participants by 2030. Ng said: “12 SMEs, and our target is that by 2030, their revenue

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has launched the Business Linkages and Advancement Programme (BLAST) to help local SMEs win contracts with multinational and mid-tier companies operating in the state. The inaugural cohort focuses on four strategic sectors identified as key drivers of Selangor’s future economic growth – aerospace, rail, life sciences and digital technology. Selangor Executive Councillor for Investment, Trade and Mobility Ng Sze Han said the new initiative is part of efforts to ensure investment inflows translate into direct benefits for domestic businesses. “This is a new initiative born out of a collaboration between Invest Selangor and the Malaysian Technology Develop ment Corporation (MTDC). The main

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From left: Ng, Mohammad Hazani and Invest Selangor Bhd CEO Datuk Hasan Azhari Idris at the launch of BLAST in Shah Alam.