The Sarawak government is maintaining its commitment to expand affordable housing, with a target of 20,000 homes to be built for the people by 2030.
State Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang said close cooperation between the government and housing industry was crucial to ensuring homes remained suitable, affordable and responsive to the needs of Sarawakians.
He said the government was prepared to work with developers to address challenges, identify opportunities and find practical solutions that could strengthen the state’s housing sector.
“The state government will continue to work with the industry to ensure the rakyat’s housing needs are met, including the building of 20,000 affordable housings by 2030,” he said when officiating at the Sarawak Housing Real Estate Developers Association (Sheda) Home and Property Roadshow 2026 at Wisma Sanyan here yesterday.
Tiang, who is also the Pelawan assemblyman, said the government recognised its responsibility to ensure Sarawakians had access to proper housing.
He added that partnerships involving government-linked companies, statutory bodies and private developers would remain important in increasing housing opportunities across the state.
Among the initiatives highlighted was the Housing Deposit and Repayment Assistance Scheme (HDRAS), which helps eligible first-time buyers, particularly those from the B40 and M40 groups, overcome financial barriers to home ownership.
Under the scheme, successful applicants can receive up to RM10,000 towards a housing deposit or, where applicable, RM200 per month towards their housing loan repayments for a maximum period of 48 months.
Tiang said 1,206 people benefited from HDRAS last year, involving RM12.06 million in assistance, while another 387 recipients had received support as of July this year.
He said the initiative would continue through the Sheda Property Expo 2026, where mock cheques worth RM200,000 in total would be presented to 20 recipients.
According to Tiang, such assistance demonstrated the human impact behind housing policies, as the ultimate goal was to improve the lives of individuals and families seeking a home.
Meanwhile, Sheda Sibu branch chairman Wong Siong Nee warned that house prices could increase next year as developers face higher costs for construction materials and transportation, alongside a shortage of local workers.
Tiang also urged the Federal Government to reconsider its new stamp duty policy affecting property development agreements, warning that the additional upfront costs could place pressure on Sarawak developers and potentially affect the pace of housing projects.
He said developers involved in joint-venture projects were required to pay stamp duty based on the value of developed land, with rates ranging from one to four per cent.
Previously, he said, developers entering into development agreements and powers of attorney with landowners would generally pay a flat stamp duty of RM10 for each document.
Under the new policy, developers could now face stamp duty charges twice based on the value of the land, even before development begins, despite the property remaining under the landowner’s ownership.
Tiang called for the policy to be reviewed, stressing that the property development landscape in Sarawak differed from that in Peninsular Malaysia.
He explained that many Sarawak developers operate primarily as developers rather than landowners, while developers in Peninsular Malaysia more commonly purchase and own the land they develop.
He also stressed that entering into a joint-venture agreement did not guarantee that a project would proceed, as developers still needed planning approval and had to meet various regulatory requirements.
With Sarawak developers already dealing with higher logistics and construction material costs, Tiang said additional financial pressures could further complicate efforts to provide affordable homes.
Nevertheless, he said the government remained committed to working with Sheda and other industry stakeholders to address the challenges through continued dialogue and practical solutions.
