Rehda Selangor calls for clearer regulations, stronger government-industry coordination
Rehda Selangor chairman Datuk Edward Chong Sin Kiat urged for greater regulatory clarity and consistent policy implementation to ensure sustainable growth in the state's housing and property development industry. Speaking at the Rehda Selangor Housing Convention 2026, he emphasised that a clear regu
BANGI (Nov 3): Greater regulatory clarity, consistent policy implementation and stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors are essential to ensuring the sustainable growth of Selangor's housing and property development industry, said the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) Selangor.
Its chairman Datuk Edward Chong Sin Kiat said responsible property development required more than investment and construction, pointing to the importance of effective planning, adequate infrastructure, coordinated approval processes and clear regulations in enabling developers to deliver quality homes and sustainable communities. Speaking at the Rehda Selangor Housing Convention 2026 at Bangi Resort Hotel today, he said developers continued to face rising development costs, changing market conditions and increasingly complex expectations surrounding affordability, quality and sustainability.
Against this backdrop, a clear and consistent regulatory environment would provide greater certainty for the industry while safeguarding the interests of homebuyers and the wider community, he added. "Certainty does not mean that every application must be approved. It means understanding what is required, knowing how decisions are made, and having the relevant parties work together to resolve practical challenges," he said.
Chong reaffirmed Rehda Selangor's commitment to working with the Selangor state government, its agencies and local authorities by providing industry feedback, professional expertise and practical proposals to address challenges affecting the property development sector. "Ultimately, the success of our industry should not be measured simply by how many homes we build or how much development takes place. It should also be measured by how well we deliver, how effectively we respond to the people's needs, and how our efforts improve the lives of communities in Selangor," Chong said.
The convention, held under the theme "Together We Create, Together We Strive", was officiated by Rehda Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Tan Hon Lim on behalf of Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. It was learnt that Amirudin was attending to several flood-hit areas in the state after a sudden thunderstorm yesterday triggered flash floods and inundated roads.
Delivering Amirudin's keynote address, Tan said property developers, in particular, must take heed of the challenges posed by climate change, particularly flooding, water management and environmental sustainability. "I believe property developers have a significant role to play in realising these aspirations. Sustainable development practices, green technologies, energy-efficient building designs and integrated communities must become an integral part of modern development," he said. He added that closer ties between the state government and the industry were essential to achieving these aspirations.
The one-day event brings together policymakers, government agencies, developers and built-environment professionals to discuss issues spanning planning guidelines, national housing policy, property market intelligence, land administration, electricity supply processes and geological risk management. Among the convention's highlights is the implementation of the fifth edition of Selangor's planning guidelines, on which Rehda Selangor has engaged PLANMalaysia Selangor to provide technical industry perspectives. The convention also explores the role of emerging technologies in property development, with sessions on artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled infrastructure and an afternoon panel discussion on the AI roadmap for real estate development.
