Kuala lumpur: The Real Estate Housing Developers' Association (REHDA) has called for a more dynamic, data-driven framework to help build a more balanced and inclusive housing market. REHDA Institute chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip emphasized the need for the government to regularly review housing quotas and policy requirements based on real market data.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ng highlighted the abundance of data available across various Malaysian agencies, such as the Housing Integrated Management System (HIMS), Transforming and Empowering Data Usage in Housing (TEDUH), National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), and the Central Database Hub (PADU). However, he noted that much of this data remains fragmented. Ng stressed the importance of integrating these datasets to allow for collective analysis of factors such as income, housing supply, demographics, transport, and planning.
Ng also advocated for the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technologies to analyze the integrated data, facilitating more effective planning and better-informed decisions. He explained that while AI and digital twins are powerful tools, their effectiveness depends on the availability of integrated, reliable information. Such technologies could help identify supply-demand mismatches before housing projects commence, determine the number of houses needed, specify the types of housing required, and identify optimal locations and connectivity to jobs and services.
Furthermore, Ng underscored the need for the government to balance managing urban sprawl with encouraging greater use of public transport. He pointed out that transit-oriented development is crucial because Malaysia's major rail investments present opportunities to align housing, transport, and urban planning, enabling people to live closer to jobs, services, facilities, and amenities.
In addition, the REHDA Institute's latest research publication, 'Housing For All: Co-Creating A Needs Driven Framework,' is set to be officially launched by the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Nga Kor Ming, at a roundtable meeting on July 28, 2026. The report's key findings will be presented at the Regional Housing Conference 2026, scheduled to take place at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) on July 29. With the theme "Housing Impact on Sustainable Urban Development and City Planning," the conference expects to gather over 300 key senior stakeholders from both government and private sectors.