Planning for housing development in Malaysia: the nature of state-market interaction

This paper unfolds the inherent tension between private developers and local authorities in the development process of medium- to high-cost housing units in Malaysia. It examines how developers respond to the government’s regulatory housing policy framework by deploying resources and tactics to realize their investment strategies. The analysis focuses on the Bumiputra quota policy, the low-cost housing policy, the One-Stop-Centre approving system and the review of planning guidelines in Johor and Kuala Lumpur which have very different socio-economic circumstances. The findings highlight the lack of trust and communication between developers and the government in the development process and the importance of cultural influence and socio-economic contexts on the structuration process.