If you’re thinking about buying a new home in Malaysia, here’s something you can’t afford to overlook.
A total of 109 property developers have been added to a redlist by the Housing and Local Government Ministry. Their names will soon be made public to protect homebuyers from falling into costly traps.
The warning comes from Minister Nga Kor Ming, who said this move is part of a larger push to clean up the housing sector. The goal is to protect everyday Malaysians from non-compliant and unreliable developers who often go unchecked.
According to Minister Nga, these developers committed serious violations — far beyond minor slip-ups. Some failed to submit required audit reports and balance sheets, while others neglected to update project statuses.
The National Housing Department isn’t letting these issues slide.
In 2024 alone, 471 notices were issued to offending developers, resulting in fines amounting to RM9.03 million. And in just the first two months of 2025, another 56 penalties were issued, collecting RM1.25 million more.
But the redlist doesn’t stop at companies.
Individuals behind these operations the directors themselves have also been flagged. This means they won’t be allowed to simply start fresh under a new company name and keep doing business as usual. Their names will be added to the public redlist as well.
Nga clarified that developers already in the middle of existing projects will be allowed to finish those but only those. No new permits will be approved unless they settle fines and meet every compliance requirement moving forward.
This enforcement sends a clear message: no more cutting corners, no more hiding behind loopholes.
Minister Nga emphasized that the government is firmly on the side of hardworking citizens people saving every ringgit to invest in a safe and secure home. The message is simple: follow the rules or lose the privilege to build.
To help future buyers make smart choices, the ministry is launching a public listing on its official housing website, Buyers can use the site to check a developer’s status before signing anything or making payments.
Nga pointed out that many Malaysian developers uphold world-class standards. Some have even won global honors, such as the FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Award.
Still, celebrating excellence isn’t enough if bad actors are allowed to operate unchecked.
The ministry’s message is clear: high-performing developers will be recognized and supported. But those who take advantage of the system — or of buyers — will be denied the chance to continue.
This new wave of accountability could be the turning point the housing market needs.
And with stronger enforcement in place, maybe the only thing rising faster than house prices will be trust.
