Tenants’ satisfaction in high residential buildings / Ummu Sholehah Mohd Nor, Wan Nor Azriyati Wan Abd Aziz and Zafirah Al Sadat Zyed.

High residential living in Malaysia has not been widely given a significant emphasises in literature despite its increasing scale and significance in the real estate market. The significance of high rise is commonly due the increasing rate of migration from rural to urban. It is estimated a total of 77.2 percent of the Malaysian population lived in urban areas in 2020. Approximately, 30 percent of this urban population lives in strata housing. These percentages are predicted to continue to increase in the future. The emergence of high residential building has been argued as confronting various problems which has considerable impact on this life style. Satisfaction is an important outcome of living in one’s dwelling, although it is not the only consideration. High residential buildings (HRB) in Malaysia encountered numerous problems in term of management aspects, legislation aspects, and residents’ satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the tenants’ satisfaction living in HRB in Klang Valley. The face-to-face interview is conducted amongst 276 tenants at low cost and medium cost HRB using non-parametric convenience sampling. The result from this study indicates that tenant in medium cost high residential buildings (HRB) are more satisfied in term of management and facilities as compared to tenants in low cost HRB. Tenants also not disclosed to the existing act and procedure related to HRB. In conclusion, this study suggested the Local Authority to emphasise the role of tenant. These recommendations hopefully will increase the level of satisfaction amongst the residents in HRB

The assessment of waste segregation exercise among Malaysian contractors: a descriptive analysis

Construction waste that emerges from construction sites has become a major global concern due to its negative carbon footprint on the environment. Due to underrepresented construction waste specific data in Malaysia, this paper aims to identify sources, causes, types of construction waste and decision-making factors of construction waste management in Malaysia's construction sites. A questionnaire survey was administered to 60 construction practitioners representing different construction sites in Peninsular Malaysia. A descriptive analysis using the Relative Importance Index (RII) was used to rank the items asked in the survey and categorised them into high (RII>70%), medium (50%<RII<70%) or low (RII<50%) importance levels. The findings show that the top-ranked sources of construction waste categorised as high importance level are demolition, site clearance, and refurbishment. The causes, insufficient construction waste management plan, incorrect materials, design changes, over-ordering, errors in the contract document, and on-site technical errors are ranked as highly important. The top common waste materials include concrete, brick, metal, wood, glass and paper. The importance of all decision-making factors is high-rated; unexpectedly, environmental impact is the least important reason for construction waste management contractors. The results provide a perspective of the current practices of construction waste in Malaysia. The outcome is useful for waste managers and policymakers in developing potential waste management strategies for a more sustainable construction industry

Assessment of housing affordability problems among younger working households in greater Kuala Lumpur / Zafirah Al Sadat Binti Zyed

Problems relating to housing affordability are closely linked to economic and social factors. Faced with rising rural urban migration, increasing house price, low income growth and high cost of living, the younger working households (YWH) struggle to own a house especially in the private housing market in urban area. Current housing policies do little to help YWH afford a house. Using an institutional framework, this study argued that the state is responsible for providing adequate housing to all income group particularly low and middle income household. When market conditions fail, the state should be held responsible in maximising housing welfares. The discussion of identifying housing affordability problems among YWH led to two important factors to consider. Firstly, the structural pathways in housing policy and schemes have disappointed YWH because of the difficulties to compete in the open housing market and the gap of affordable housing is yet to be filled by the state. Secondly, the capability of YWH in doing things and not their intention in doing it is influenced by the formal structure. The rational action of YWH in choice of housing leaves no space of desire and passion due to the rules and resources. The dependency of structure and agency in this study demonstrated the outcome of the housing affordability problems. Against this background, the main aim of this study is to examine the problems of housing affordability among YWH. This study further intends to address the policy implications of these problems. Four main research questions were addressed. Firstly, what are the problems faced by YWH in finding affordable housing. Secondly, what are emerging policy and schemes formulated to address these problems. Thirdly, to what extent should the state intervene in these problems and finally how can the state address these problems. Drawing upon a case study of YWH in Greater Kuala Lumpur, questionnaire surveys are conducted amongst 420 respondents through random sampling with pre-determined criteria. Additionally, in-depth interviews were also conducted to gain further insight into these problems. Views of the state concerning key issues in addressing housing affordability problems were also sought. The findings revealed that the main problem faced by YWH is limited supply of affordable housing in the market. Even more, the perceived affordable housing in the market is open to all income groups which suggest that YWH has to compete with other income groups in the open market for homeownership. The state has to a certain degree intervene in the market by introducing National Housing Policy (NHP), My First Home Scheme (MFHS) and 1Malaysia People Housing Scheme (PR1MA) to provide affordable housing to this group of YWH. Nevertheless, this intervention is viewed as insufficient. In conclusion, this study suggests that the state should introduce more housing schemes such as the shared ownership schemes to address these problems. It is also recommended that state should perhaps consider properties to be rented to YWH as well as introducing a comprehensive affordable housing system

Elevating property management in public housing: A systematic literature review

Public housing (PH) focuses on assisting low-income households with housing stability. However, the inefficiency of property management in PH gives rise to a range of challenges in both physical and internal operational management, leading to negative stigmatisation towards tenants living in PH. Various initiatives have been launched to address the inefficiencies of property management. This study categorised and elaborated these initiatives under three main categories: reconceptualisation, externalisation, and managerialisation. There is currently no systematic literature review that provides a comprehensive overview of the initiatives aimed at enhancing property management in PH on a global scale, despite the fact that an overwhelming number of initiatives have been proposed in various studies. Therefore, the present systematic literature review was conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the existing research and initiatives pertinent to PH property management. This thorough examination will not only inform the current state of property management practices but also provide valuable insights to guide future research endeavours and decision-making processes in this domain. The outcome of this study revealed the positive impact of managerialisation, showcasing its pivotal role in problem identification and as a strategic indicator for proposing solutions aimed at continuous improvement

Planning implications of guarded neighborhoods in Malaysia

The increased prevalence of enclosed communities began to draw attention from researchers and commentators worldwide as early as the 1970s. Although much of the early discussion concerned communities in the United States, gated communities were well documented on most continents and in diverse contexts by the 2000s. In Malaysia, in response to perceived market demand for residential enclaves due to globalization and modernization, a number of private developers have created bespoke gated communities. However, less research has been conducted on the retrofitting of existing residential neighborhoods (guarded neighborhoods) with security measures or the `ad hoc' privatization of such neighborhoods. Therefore, drawing on case studies of older, access-controlled residential communities, this article investigates urban planners' perceptions of talks about the planning implications of guarded neighborhoods in the Malaysian state of Selangor. As individual local community groups mobilize to levy what amounts to an additional local tax to finance dedicated guards and gates at the street level, urban planners regularly encounter a conflict between `good-neighborhood' principles and the importance of social-spatial integration. Malaysia's government authorities encourage citizens to enclose local spaces despite the legal prohibition on enclosure and the adverse effects of such interventions on physical and social integration in existing urban residential neighborhoods