KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is finalising the Residential Tenancy Bill to balance the rights and protections of tenants and landlords.
Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said the proposed law is intended to establish a more equitable rental market while offering a quicker, easier and more affordable way to resolve disputes.
"The proposed legislation seeks to establish a fairer relationship between tenants and homeowners by clearly defining the rights and responsibilities of both sides," she said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara on Tuesday (Aug 4).
He was responding to Senator Wong You Fong's question on incentives and steps being taken to tackle rising rental costs and urban poverty faced by the younger generation.
Aiman Athirah said the government does not intend to impose nationwide rent controls, given that multiple economic factors and local market conditions determine rental rates.
She said the government has opted for a broader approach, including increasing affordable rental housing, improving tenant protections and widening access to home ownership to reduce long-term dependence on the rental market.
Aiman Athirah said the government has expanded access to housing financing through the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme (SJKP), raising the guarantee ceiling to RM40bil to help more people transition from renting to home ownership.
She said the initiative provides financing guarantees of up to RM500,000 for first-time buyers, including those working in the gig economy who do not have a fixed income.
She said RM27.4bil in financing guarantees had been approved as of April 30, covering 113,222 applications, with more than half of the recipients aged 30 or younger.
In another development, she said the ministry, through PLANMalaysia, is completing the draft guidelines on physical planning for older adults, which will be brought to the Cabinet for consideration.
"The guidelines serve as a reference for state governments and local authorities in ensuring that national physical planning and development consider the needs of all groups in society," she said.
She said the proposed guidelines set out a recommended ratio of one elderly care facility per 1,000 to 1,500 senior citizens, or at least one facility for every neighbourhood area with 5,000 to 10,000 residents.
She said the draft also outlines minimum space requirements of three square metres per senior citizen and nine square metres per room in care facilities to create a comfortable and suitable environment.
She was responding to Senator R. Thiagarajah's question on current policies and guidelines governing the provision of elderly-friendly facilities or spaces in new residential developments. – Bernama
