—LOW BOON TAT/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The government is planning to introduce a "pay-per-use" system for maintenance fees in future affordable housing developments, potentially ending the era of constant, expensive monthly fees.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announced this initiative as part of the ministry’s housing reforms (Reformasi Perumahan).
Under the proposed system, residents will receive access cards to track their monthly usage of shared facilities and will be charged accordingly, rather than being broadly charged the same fee.
"We will start with the Rumah Bakat Madani initiative led by Skyworld Pearlmont in Penang, which features a pay-per-use clubhouse with an infinity pool, pickleball and badminton courts, a children’s playground, and gyms," Nga explained.
This initiative will serve as a model for future public housing projects, potentially including vertical schools to improve educational access for vulnerable communities.
"This is aimed at elevating the standards of the real estate industry and promoting more equitable housing access for all Malaysians," he stated at the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Week (KLAW) 2025 on Sunday (July 20).
Nga also highlighted plans to involve private industry players in developing Industrialised Building System (IBS) facilities to encourage the adoption of modular construction methods like Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC), promoting sustainable urban development by reducing construction waste and pollution.
The Rumah Bakat Madani initiative is currently the largest affordable housing project, planning to build 900-square-foot freehold condominiums with modern features and access to shared facilities like swimming pools and gyms.
KLAW 2025, a prelude to AREC and ARCHIDEX, is set to kick off this week at MITEC and KLCC, expected to attract over 50,000 visitors worldwide and generate RM2 billion in transactions.
