News by Au Foong Yee

In reality, it is not just gloom and doom. There are office and retail centres that continue to enjoy high occupancies and this could be attributed to reasons such as their respective unique offerings like a strategic location, easy connectivity and profile of tenants. Last but certainly not least, providing a safe conducive working or shopping environment matters ant his is something that can only be achieved with top-in-class maintenance of the spaces.

Short-term rentals and homestays have their costs and consequences, as well as bouquets and brickbats. A discussion on whether a ban is the right way forward typically ends up with an emotionally charged “yea” or “nay”, depending on one’s personal interest and experience, good or bad.

What does all this mean for those who have bought properties that are now being built?

Will they get a property that has been build according to the specifications spelt out in the sales and purchase agreement? Would all the building processes be executed the way they should be?

A day after the tragedy, the UK government announced that a public inquiry into the incident would be held. Phase One of the inquiry, released in October 2019, reportedly found “systemic failures” in the London Fire Brigade’s response. Phase Two, now ongoing, examines in-depth, among others, the building’s refurbishment and external cladding, testing and certification of products and fire risk assessments.

Malaysia is fast becoming an aged nation, even by global standards. According to World Bank estimates, Malaysia joined the ranks of an ageing society (with 7% of its population aged 65 and over) in 2020. The country is en route to becoming an aged society in 2044 (with 14% of its population aged 65 and over), and super-aged society in 2056 (with 20% of its population aged 65 and over).

While the move to provide legislated protection to both landlords and tenants is a progressive and noble one, the what and how of it need to be clear and convincing lest it winds up being an exercise in futility. 

In line with our new direction, we will be stopping the EdgeProp Malaysia’s weekly – you are now reading its final edition. Rest assured however, that in the days ahead, our portal – www.edgeprop.my – will be an even more compelling destination for everything property, one that anyone who has an interest in real estate could not afford to ignore.

Au Foong Yee: Before taking the discussion further, there is a need to define “affordable homes” in the present context. This is necessary to avoid confusion as the words “affordable” and “affordability” are being bandied about freely and used interchangeably in the market.

EdgeProp Malaysia Editor-in-Chief and managing director, Au Foong Yee: How about proposing a tiered system for MM2H participants, with conditions and incentives tied to their immediate and direct contributions to the Malaysian economy?

We now have a Guidance Note on “Improving Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation in Buildings amid the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond”