PETALING JAYA: The Real Estate Housing Developers' Association (REHDA) has called for a more dynamic, data-driven framework to help build a more balanced and inclusive housing market.
REHDA Institute chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip said the government should regularly review housing quotas and policy requirements based on real market data.
"Malaysia has abundant data across agencies such as the Housing Integrated Management System (HIMS), Transforming and Empowering Data Usage in Housing (TEDUH), National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) and the Central Database Hub (PADU), but much (of the data) remains fragmented.
"For information to be effectively utilised in decision-making, these datasets must be integrated so that data on income, housing supply, demographics, transport and planning can be analysed collectively rather than in isolation," he told a press conference here, today.
Ng also urged the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technologies to analyse integrated data, enabling more effective planning and better-informed decisions.
"AI and digital twins are powerful tools, but they only work with integrated, reliable information.
"Used effectively, these technologies can identify (supply-demand) mismatches before thousands of houses are built, how many are needed, what types of housing are required, where they should be located, and how they can be better connected to jobs and services," he said.
He added that the government must strike a balance between managing urban sprawl and encouraging greater use of public transport.
"Transit-oriented development (also) matters because Malaysia's major rail investments create opportunities to re-align housing, transport and urban planning so people can live closer to jobs, services, facilities and amenities," he added.
Meanwhile, REHDA Institute’s latest research publication "Housing For All: Co-Creating A Needs Driven Framework” will be officially launched by Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming at a roundtable meeting on July 28, 2026.
The report’s key findings will be presented at the Regional Housing Conference 2026, to be held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) on July 29.
With the theme "Housing Impact on Sustainable Urban Development and City Planning", the conference expects to gather more than 300 key senior stakeholder attendees from both government and private sectors. - Bernama
