Govt’s housing management system misses legal aspects, says Bar

 The Malaysian Bar warns of downplaying the need for legal advice when purchasing homes, saying this puts buyers at risk.

The Malaysian Bar said the government itself had recognised decades ago that house buyers were vulnerable and required legal protection.

PETALING JAYA:

 The Malaysian Bar has raised concerns over the government’s housing integrated management system (HIMS), saying it does not factor in the legal dimensions of purchasing a house into its design or public communication.

Bar president Ezri Abdul Wahab said this has given rise to a risk of seeing the process of purchasing a home as merely a simple administrative process.

“If that perception takes root, developers or system operators may downplay the need for legal advice or treat lawyers rather as an inconvenience. This would put the public at risk.

“If the public enters the contractual stage without legal advice, they will be exposed to significant risks, including defective contracts, unenforced rights, disputes over defects, delays and financial loss.

“The government itself recognised decades ago that house buyers are vulnerable and require legal protection. It would be consistent with that same policy logic to ensure that modern digital housing platforms do not leave the legal layer unaddressed,” Ezri said in a statement.

HIMS is a digital administrative system designed by the housing and local government ministry to improve transparency and efficiency. It is primarily used for eligibility, balloting, and allocation of affordable housing.

Ezri maintained that HIMS did not provide legal advice to buyers and was never designed for that role. Therefore, it could not replace the legal stages of a housing transaction, he added.

He urged the ministry to incorporate advisory notices in HIMS to explain when legal advice was needed and to include the legal fraternity in future housing policy developments.

“Digitalisation should improve public welfare, not hollow out legal safeguards that protect the public.” - FMT