Smart housing: Nga says the ministry will focus on projects to ensure urban planning and housing construction achieve sustainable development.
Building first is part of reforms to end ‘sick’ or abandoned projects
KUALA LUMPUR: Incentives for developers that adopt the “build-then-sell” (BTS) model for housing developments will be announced in due course, says Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
In his speech at the Urban Engineering Symposium 2025 (Urbens 2025) here yesterday, Nga said the BTS model is part of reforms to eliminate “sick” or abandoned projects by 2030.
The BTS model, rather than the “sell-then-build” (STB), offers various advantages, such as reapportioning the risk of projects so as not to unfairly burden buyers.
The quality of completed housing projects can also be assessed by buyers before they commit to one of the largest purchases they will ever make in their lifetime.
“This not only protects homebuyers’ rights and enhances transparency in real estate transactions but also ensures people have access to more affordable and safer homes,” Nga said, adding that consultation has been conducted with various stakeholders that include the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) and other experts.
The incentives for the BTS model align with the overall thrust of the government to provide quality and accessible housing and are in alignment with the aspirations under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
Another central pillar for the provision of housing is the proposed Urban Renewal Bill, which aims to address decaying housing and promote sustainable urbanisation.
He stressed that under the 13th Malaysia Plan, he will focus on implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030) and the UN-Habitat’s New Urban Agenda to ensure that urban planning and housing development in Malaysia will be both sustainable and bring a host of benefits to the people.
On other urban liveability matters, Nga said his ministry will also embark on a major public health reform by gradually replacing garbage trucks across the country with electric ones to reduce carbon emissions.
Further moves to improve the urban environment and ease traffic congestion will also mean that street cleansing and refuse collection will be adjusted to late evening or early morning to enable workers to work in a more comfortable environment by minimising exposure to heat.
Other moves to usher in a greener environment include the promotion of climate-resilient and energy-efficient building practices, such as those that meet the Malaysian Green Building Index (GBI) standards.
Nga pointed out this comprehensive way of approaching things, covering areas from construction to housing to waste management, reflects the holistic transformation of urban planning in line with SDG 2030 and UN-Habitat’s New Urban Agenda.
