KUALA LUMPUR: The Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia (Rehda) has welcomed the newly launched National Housing Policy (NHP) 2026-2035, describing it as an important framework for charting the future direction of Malaysia's housing sector.
Rehda president Datuk Zaini Yusoff said the policy's "Humanising Housing" theme was aligned with the association's long-standing view that housing was not merely about building structures, but about providing quality, affordable, liveable and sustainable homes for the people.
He said the policy's emphasis on data-driven housing planning, including the use of Big Data Analytics and housing projections based on locality, existing supply, vacancies, housing type, income and price categories, was particularly encouraging.
"Rehda has long been a strong advocate for the establishment of a comprehensive and centralised housing data system that is accurate and provides a timely picture of demand in specific locations," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 11).
"Better data will enable both the public and private sectors to make more informed decisions, particularly in ensuring that affordable housing is provided in the right location, at the right price and according to actual demand, while reducing supply-demand mismatches and unsold units," he added.
Zaini also welcomed the policy's recognition of the need for more diverse pathways to home ownership, including Rent-to-Own schemes, the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme (SJKP), shared ownership and long-term fixed-rate mortgages.
"Access to financing remains one of the key challenges faced by prospective homebuyers. We therefore welcome more flexible and inclusive financing solutions, particularly for middle-income households that may not qualify for affordable housing programmes but continue to face affordability constraints in the open market," he said.
Rehda also supported the policy's broader focus on creating liveable neighbourhoods, improving housing standards, urban renewal and strengthening the housing delivery ecosystem.
Zaini said better integration between housing and transportation, including Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), was timely to ensure homes were better connected to employment centres, public transport and essential amenities.
However, he said some measures under the policy required further study and meaningful engagement with the industry, particularly the proposed transition from the current Sell-Then-Build (STB) system to Build-Then-Sell (BTS) between 2027 and 2035.
"While Rehda appreciates the Government's intention to further strengthen homebuyers' protection, any fundamental change to the housing delivery system must take into account its implications on overall housing delivery, including holding costs, financing, cash flow, housing prices and supply, among others," he said.
"This is especially important for small and medium-sized developers, which may not have the financial capacity to fund an entire development until completion."
Zaini said the STB system had been widely adopted and had delivered more than 6.5 million housing units over the years.
As such, Rehda believed STB should continue to co-exist with BTS if the latter was introduced, he said.
"Any move towards BTS should also be progressive, supported by appropriate financing and regulatory mechanisms, and undertaken in close consultation with developers, financial institutions and other stakeholders.
"This is to strengthen purchasers' protection without inadvertently increasing housing costs or constraining supply," he said.
Zaini said Rehda viewed the NHP 2026-2035 as a positive and comprehensive framework for strengthening Malaysia's housing ecosystem.
"Rehda remains committed to working closely with the Government towards its effective implementation," he said.
He added that the association would continue encouraging its members to uphold their nation-building role by providing quality and affordable homes for the people in a timely and sustainable manner.
