Sustainable housing policy and low-income group housing: the Malaysian experience

The low income group (LIG) housing is one challenge that haunts most developing countries. This paper explores the Malaysian housing policies and its meticulous implementation and how the sustainability aspect of such policies improves significantly the housing affordability and accessibility to the majority of the LIG in the country. The study builds upon multiple data sources. An extensive review of past and current published literature and periodicals were carried out. Further, this review is part of a larger study which explores the subject matter, adding both breadth and depth. The five low-cost housing estates in Kuala Lumpur, a federal territory of Malaysia, were selected to serve as case study. The findings of the study show that the majority of the beneficiaries of low-cost housing programmes fall within the principal target of LIG and much contribution has been made to the cohort housing. The study also provides evidence that contrary to path dependent policies. In particular, the Malaysian housing policies adoption of pragmatic and all inclusive role of the government, provide institutional support for a well functional housing delivery to the LIG not only in Kuala Lumpur, but for the entire country.