Muhammad Nazhan Kamaruzuki

Pembangunan pangsapuri khidmat atau serviced apartments terus rancak terutama di kawasan bandar seperti di Kuala Lumpur dan Lembah. Namun angka unit tidak terjual untuk jenis hartanah ini semakin membimbangkan. Realiti ini bukan sahaja menunjukkan ketidaksepadanan antara penawaran dan permintaan, tetapi juga persoalan perancangan tempatan untuk memenuhi keperluan masyrakat yang lebih besar. Artikel ini mengupas lanjut tetang aliran pasaran hartanah ini dan kebimbangan yang harus dititkberatkan dalam perancangan tempatan dan hartanah di Malaysia.

Many would have thought renting is a cheaper option than owning a house, especially in a big city like Kuala Lumpur. Drawing on the salary/wage data, this article argues that the cost of renting an apartment/condominium and a serviced apartment, which are likely the most available units for rent, is generally not affordable. An average-salaried individual in Kuala Lumpur is likely to face significant challenges in securing an affordable rental housing unit in the city.

Buying a new fridge for your new home is far less stressful than buying the home itself. While both may represent significant purchases in a person's life, the psychological and systemic differences between the two are stark. In Malaysia, this comparison goes beyond simple economics—it reveals something deeper about how our housing and consumer systems function.

Malaysia’s rapid urbanisation has made residential renting increasingly common, yet the country does not have a single comprehensive legal statute that serves as a point of reference for governance, such as ensuring habitable and decent living standards. At the same time, the current common practices may systematically exclude renters from participating in community life, especially within urban strata housing and from accessing relevant policy programmes. This article proposes the establishment of a comprehensive Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) to address these gaps, thus manifesting a humanising housing agenda.