Don’t delay tabling Residential Tenancy Bill to 2027, NGO tells govt

An NGO has urged the Malaysian government to table the Residential Tenancy Bill in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat meeting, rather than waiting until 2027. Architects of Diversity highlighted a previous study of 35,367 room rental listings in the Klang Valley, which revealed that 42.8% explicitly excluded at least one ethnic group. The bill, currently in its final drafting stage, was anticipated to be passed by the Dewan Rakyat this year by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.

However, seven years have passed since the bill's initial drafting stage was identified in the National Housing Policy 2018-2025, and it remains untabled. Repeated assurances from officials that the bill was nearing completion cannot be disregarded as mere administrative delays, according to the NGO. The lack of a clear legal framework leaves tenants vulnerable to racial discrimination, with no dedicated avenue for redress, while landlords must resort to civil proceedings to address unpaid rent or property damage.

Architects of Diversity emphasized that the bill must incorporate enforceable anti-discrimination protections, an accessible Residential Tenancy Tribunal, and clear responsibilities for rental listing platforms. If the bill, which has been repeatedly described as nearly complete, still cannot be tabled after seven years, the question is no longer solely about timing but whether the government possesses the political commitment to deliver on a reform it has repeatedly promised.