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PETALING JAYA (May 19): Stronger resident participation, local leadership and community stewardship can create a liveable, resilient and sustainable public housing, according to a study by Think City Sdn Bhd.
Published under the title From Roof to Resilience: A Social Assessment of Malaysia’s Public Housing, the book was launched by the Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming during the 13th session of the World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13).
Held under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities”, WUF13 focuses on housing within the broader urban liveability agenda.
The launch brings Malaysia’s public housing experience to an international platform at a time when cities are seeking more integrated approaches to housing, liveability and resilience, said Think City in a press release on Monday.
“Malaysia’s public housing must continue to evolve with the needs of our people and our cities. Better homes, facilities and infrastructure must be matched by the social infrastructure of strong communities, responsive systems and shared responsibility. This is how physical improvements can translate into lasting resilience, wellbeing and community life,” Nga said.
The publication draws from a social assessment involving 2,884 households across 10 public housing sites in the Klang Valley. It examines issues related to liveability, safety, management, social cohesion and upward mobility within public housing communities.
The report noted that Malaysia’s public housing programme has supported more than three million people as the country urbanised from less than 30% in 1970 to over 75% today, contributing to the transition away from informal settlements.
The study emphasises that public housing should be viewed not only as physical infrastructure, but also as a social ecosystem shaped by governance, services, shared spaces and resident participation. It advocates a more integrated approach combining improvements in housing, facilities and maintenance with stronger community engagement and local leadership.
Think City managing director Hamdan Abdul Majeed said public housing reflects the aspirations and challenges faced by urban families, adding that residents can play an active role in community improvement when supported by effective systems.
The publication also highlights the progress of Think City’s Kita-untuk-Kita (K2K) programme, a Ministry of Finance-funded community empowerment initiative launched in 2023 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The programme aims to strengthen resident participation and neighbourhood stewardship in public housing communities across the Klang Valley.
“Public housing is central to this because it carries the aspirations, pressures and potential of thousands of urban families. Through K2K, we have seen that residents can become active agents of change when the right support systems are in place,” Hamdan said.
To date, the programme has reached more than 30,000 residents across 10 sites through resident-led Forum Komuniti (Forkom) platforms, supported 32 community-based organisations and facilitated over 50 community grant projects. Communities involved in the programme have also implemented more than 220 physical improvement projects.
The publication states that community participation and shared stewardship are important components of long-term public housing resilience, in line with Malaysia’s broader urban development agenda under Ekonomi Madani and the 13th Malaysia Plan.
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