A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE PROPERTY CRISIS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

The Malaysian housing affordability crisis has emerged as one of the most serious socio-economic problems of the 21st century, with profound implications for economic equality, social stability, and intergenerational wealth distribution. While housing unaffordability has been a growing trend since the early 2000s (Seng, 2018), the post-pandemic era has exacerbated the situation due to the thrust from inflationary pressures, slowing wage growth, and structural vulnerabilities in the property sector (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2022). The resulting gap in incomes from households and property prices has come to create an unsustainable dynamic, locking up a significant portion of the people—particularly the Middle 40% (M40) and higher Bottom 40% (B40) income groups—out of homeownership and sustainable buildings (NAPIC, 2023; Gazi et al., 2005).