KPKT champions for Green Public Housing initiatives at ESCAP session
The newly-rebranded People’s Residency Program would also integrate the Green Building Index, urban farming, rainwater harvesting systems and rooftop solar panels to ensure that the urban poor are not left behind during the transition to a green economy.
SINAR DAILY REPORTER
BANGKOK - The Housing and Local Government Ministry reaffirms its commitment to sustainable urban development at the 81st Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Its Minister Nga Kor Ming, in his keynote address on Monday, highlighted the country's ongoing efforts to provide housing through the National Housing Policy and the National Affordable Housing Policy, noting that the current homeownership rate stands at 77 per cent.
Nga said initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Programme (Rumah Mampu Milik), Citizen-Friendly Home Programme (Rumah Mesra Rakyat) and housing projects under PR1MA have prioritised eco-friendly designs whilst scaling up industrialised building systems (IBS) to reduce construction waste.
He said the newly-rebranded People’s Residency Program would also integrate the Green Building Index, urban farming, rainwater harvesting systems and rooftop solar panels to ensure that the urban poor are not left behind during the transition to a green economy.
“Our utmost priority is to preserve the humane element in our public housing initiatives. To that end, we are integrating features that support holistic living, such as the development of green public spaces and childcare facilities to support working families,” he said.
Nga added that the country also places great emphasis on community-driven housing initiatives, with programmes such as the Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) and urban farming projects to ensure that housing solutions are aligned with social resilience and food security strategies.
“As the Asean Chair for 2025, Malaysia reaffirms our commitment to advancing housing policies that align with global best practices,” he remarked.
“Malaysia looks forward to steering Asean towards achieving collective understanding for bold and urgent measures to address housing accessibility, resilience and inclusivity,” he said.
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is an intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region, comprising 53 member States and 9 associate members.
As one of the United Nation’s five regional commissions, ESCAP promotes regional cooperation to address sustainable development challenges.
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