Public housing policy in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

This dissertation develops a national perspective of public housing policy in Peninsular Malaysia. Although there have been numerous useful studies on specific housing topics, these studies have not addressed many macro-level policy questions which are essential to national policy-makers in formulating housing policies. A macro or a comprehensive and national study would be more appropriate for informing national policy-makers, thus facilitating formulation of effective housing policies in the future. This study demonstrates the development of an appropriate level of conceptualization through the use of an "issue systems" framework. The framework's three constructs are used to define the substantive policy issue, public housing policy in Peninsular Malaysia, and to describe the housing policy arena (i.e., structure and process) dealing with the policy issue. In doing so, the social-political context from which public housing policy evolved is explored and feasible policy changes or adjustments which can guide future housing policy arena deliberations are developed. Two major conclusions are generated from this study. Firstly, the Malaysian government has made a substantial progress towards meeting the housing needs of its people. However, the housing problem is still dealt with in an ad hoc manner, rather than in a coordinated and comprehensive fashion or manner. This has resulted in myriads of housing policies which bear no relationship to one another and cause confusion in the housing delivery system. The second conclusion is that housing has never reached the same level of significance as economic development, although political rhetoric seems to indicate it has. The three main races in the country have traditionally focused more on economic and related improvements rather than on housing. With the implementation of the New Economic Policy the situation has changed. More people (especially the Malays who have migrated to urban areas in large numbers) will demand better performance by the government. To meet the people's rising expectations the government must prepare itself for a larger and more effective role in housing and place housing higher in the government's policy agenda....