KRI Webinar - The Financialization and Commodification of our Homes

The webinar focused on Chapter 4 of the report, “The Financialization of our Homes: The Myths of Debt and Risks in the Housing Market”, which delves into the housing delivery system against the backdrop of housing loans and provides a compelling justification for reconfiguring the institutional arrangement and social construction of the housing delivery system.
The webinar addressed the rapid house price escalation amid stagnating wages and examined how financial schemes, while making expensive homes appear more affordable, have increased risks for buyers.
The webinar included a panel discussion consisting of the chapter’s author, Dr Suraya Ismail, alongside external stakeholders, Dato’ N. Jayaselan from the National Housing Department, KPKT, Daniel Chin from Bank Negara Malaysia and Datuk Ho Hon Sang from Real Estate & Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA). The panellists reviewed the issue of rising housing unaffordability in Malaysia, the risks associated with the Sell-Then-Build (STB) system, and proposed policy recommendations for more sustainable housing practices.