KUALA LUMPUR: Mah Sing Group Bhd
hopes the government will continue to encourage homeownership among young and middle-income households in its recommendations for Budget 2027, which is scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 9.
The property developer's founder and group managing director Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum said that among the most impactful measures introduced in recent years have been stamp duty exemptions for first-time homebuyers, which have meaningfully reduced the upfront cost of purchasing a home and improved affordability at the point of entry.
He also hopes that the Homeownership Campaign (HOC 3.0) will be refreshed to provide cost savings, sustain healthy owner-occupier demand, and ensure long-term market stability.
"Mah Sing believes Budget 2027 presents a timely opportunity to introduce practical, forward-looking measures to strengthen Malaysia's housing ecosystem," he said in a statement today.
Leong said access to financing remains one of the biggest barriers preventing many Malaysians from owning a house. He said that young professionals, gig economy workers, self-employed individuals and households with irregular income documentation often have repayment capacity but do not meet conventional lending criteria.
The group encourages the government to continue strengthening initiatives such as the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme, while reviewing the eligibility threshold for selected first-homeownership incentives and financing support, increasing it from RM500,000 to RM600,000 for properties in higher-cost urban areas, particularly across the Klang Valley.
To speed up housing delivery, Leong urges ongoing efforts to lower unnecessary compliance costs while maintaining governance standards through digitalisation and streamlined approvals.
He said close coordination among housing approvals, transport connectivity, power, water, and community facilities would help create well-planned, connected, and livable communities while improving development efficiency.
Leong said the continued expansion of transport infrastructure and economic corridors, including the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, demonstrates how integrated planning could unlock new growth areas and strengthen long-term demand fundamentals.
"Future housing supply should also be guided by a more data-driven approach that aligns developments with genuine market demand for location, product type, and pricing," said Leong.
He said the industry must continue to adopt value engineering, digital technologies, prefabrication methods, better procurement strategies, and stronger supply chain management to improve productivity, optimise resources and support more efficient and reliable project delivery.
Developers continue to face increasing costs for construction materials, labour, transportation, utilities, and regulatory compliance, while homebuyers are increasingly prioritising connectivity, accessibility, amenities, liveability, practical layouts and long-term value when choosing a home.
"The group looks forward to Budget 2027 introducing policies to enhance housing affordability and accessibility, encourage private sector investment, and reinforce the property sector's role as a key contributor to economic resilience and national development," said Leong. - Bernama
