Malaysia to Develop One Million Affordable Housing Units by 2035 Under 13th Malaysia Plan
Kuala Lumpur, The Gulf Observer: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced on Thursday that the government will develop one million affordable housing units between 2026 and 2035, as part of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). The initiative was unveiled during the Prime Minister’s tabling of the plan in the Dewan Rakyat.
Anwar said the large-scale housing programme will be implemented through close collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments, and private sector developers to ensure that more Malaysians can access safe, comfortable, and affordable homes.
“This is to ensure as many Malaysians as possible can live in safe and comfortable homes,” he stated, highlighting a series of ongoing and new initiatives such as the Residensi Madani Programme, the Public Servants Housing Programme, the New Home Construction Assistance Programme, the Affordable Housing Programme, and Rumah Bakat Madani.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s long-standing commitment to providing quality, inclusive housing for all income groups. He revealed that as of 2025, 180,000 housing units have been completed, while another 235,000 units are currently under construction.
However, Anwar acknowledged persistent challenges in the housing sector, including mismatches between housing supply and demand, and property prices that remain disproportionate to income levels. To address these issues, he said the government will expand schemes such as the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme and the Rent-to-Own (RTO) Scheme, with particular focus on assisting low- and middle-income households.
The Prime Minister also highlighted plans to accelerate construction and reduce costs through the adoption of advanced technologies, including the Industrialised Building System (IBS) and Building Integrated Management (BIM), particularly in public housing projects.
In addition, Anwar announced that the Kota Madani initiative in Putrajaya, developed in collaboration with Putrajaya Holdings, will be replicated in other locations as a model of integrated affordable housing. He described Kota Madani as a concept that harmoniously combines development with spiritual, moral, and technological values.
“This concept not only allows people to own a home, but also to experience life in a city that combines progress with values, modernity with morals, and technology with humanity,” Anwar said.
The initiative is a key pillar of the 13th Malaysia Plan, which aims to drive inclusive development and improve the well-being of all Malaysians.
