Rehda Kedah to hold meeting on Kedah’s deferment of new housing policy

KUALA LUMPUR: A state Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (Rehda) meeting will be called before the Christmas holidays to discuss the indefinite suspension of Kedah’s land swapping policy by the state government, says a spokesperson of Rehda Kedah/Perlis branch.

The announcement of the deferment of the new housing policy of having a 50% bumiputra quota in new housing schemes was made on Dec 7.

Under the policy, developers are allowed to develop Malay reserve land and sell 70% of the units to non-bumiputras. In return, developers are required to acquire a bigger tract of non-Malay reserve land (5% more than the Malay reserve land to be developed) in any part of the state. The acquired land will then be classified as Malay reserve land. The new housing policy will also reduce the sale of the units to non-bumiputra to 50% from the earlier 70%.

Following the announcement, fears were raised of a permanent freeze of the land swapping policy, which in turn will hamper the growth of the housing industry in Kedah.

A spokesperson for Rehda Kedah/Perlis branch told theedgeproperty.com that the purpose of the meeting is to gather feedback from its members on the impact and repercussions caused by the suspension of the state's land swapping policy.