News about HBA

PETALING JAYA (Sept 23): The National House Buyers Association (HBA) says it will not submit a wishlist for Budget 2027, arguing that its repeated proposals to protect homebuyers and prevent sick and abandoned housing projects have received insufficient attention.

In Part 1, “Another property management law? Fix the gaps, don't duplicate the regulator”, the National House Buyers Association (HBA) examined whether the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT)’s recent proposed new legislation for a Building Managers Act would address a genuine regulatory gap or risk duplicating existing frameworks under the Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act 1981 (Act 242) and the Strata Management Act 2013 (Act 757).

The latest data from the National Property Information Centre (Napic) suggest what the National House Buyers Association (HBA) describes as a structural contradiction in Malaysia’s “affordable housing” segment, highlighting a widening disconnect between what is being built and what households can realistically afford.

When Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming declared in April, this year, that national success should be measured not merely by economic growth but by the happiness of the rakyat, it drew considerable attention.

Part 1: The case for legalising and regulating booking fees The law prohibits collection of booking fees — but no one is enforcing it.

The Madani government's proposal to establish an Ombudsman through a new Ombudsman Act has been welcomed broadly as an administrative reform.

This article appeared in the April 9, 2026 issue of the monthly print edition.

GEORGE TOWN (April 10): Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) is revising its masterplan for Southbay City in Batu Maung with an increased plot ratio and new gross development value (GDV) of approximately RM1.

When discussing high-risk residential zones, it is important to clarify what the term truly encompasses.

On Jan 23, the Madani Cabinet took the rare step of withdrawing the Urban Renewal Bill (URA Bill)—originally slated for its second reading in Parliament—for comprehensive revision.