Housing ministry to draw up Act governing retirement homes

 

The government says it is mulling an Act to regulate the development of retirement villages and protect the interest of senior citizens.

PETALING JAYA: The housing and local government ministry plans to introduce legislation in the near future to meet the demands of a rapidly ageing population and restructure all national housing programmes.

The ministry is looking to introduce the Retirement Village Act and the National Housing Corporation Bill, it said in an email interview with FMT, although it did not state when.

The ministry said there is no specific legal definition in Malaysia regarding retirement homes as it is a new concept that has not been translated into coherent policies and regulatory frameworks.

Noting that Malaysia’s percentage of senior citizens will increase from 14.2% in 2030 to 23.1% by 2050, it said the concept of a retirement village will match the needs of senior citizens by providing them with safe communities equipped with amenities and security.

“The purpose of the Act is to provide for the control and licensing of the business of retirement village development and to protect the interest of purchasers (senior citizens) and for matters concerned,” it said.

The ministry said it is taking the initiative to start policy studies and legal preparation for the development of customisation for senior housing. This covers planning, construction, building management and ownership of homes to ensure secure, quality and liveable retirement villages for senior citizens.

It said the Care Centres Act 1993 and the Private Elderly Healthcare Facilities and Services Bill 2017 do not cover the construction procedure of retirement villages, and the existing guidelines, which are not comprehensive, should be improved after taking into account the ergonomic capabilities of the users, including senior-friendly elements.

National Housing Corporation Bill

The National Housing Corporation Bill, meanwhile, will provide for the establishment of a new corporation under the ministry that will merge and restructure all national housing programmes under the purview of several ministries.

The programmes include Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia Corporation (PR1MA) and the civil servants’ housing scheme (PPAM) under the Prime Minister’s Department as well as Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) under the finance ministry.

“The bill will look into the centralisation of regulation matters related to the development and construction activities of affordable housing accommodation, infrastructure and facilities, as well as monitoring and maintenance activities, which will be executed by the new corporation,” it said.

Stressing that the bill may overlap with existing Acts, especially the Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia Act 2012, the ministry said further study, and a consultation process with relevant parties, is needed before the bill is drafted. - FMT