Soaring rental market - what it means

 

The Malaysian rental market saw significant growth in the second quarter of 2024 (2Q24), with rents rising faster than anticipated, a trend that could have important implications for the property industry.

According to the recently released 2Q24 IQI Malaysia home Rental Index, the average rent reached RM1,995, a 3.9% increase from the previous quarter and 2.9% higher than the same period last year.

“This index by IQI analyses over 70,000 residential rental transactions between 2018 and 2Q24,” said Juwai IQI co-founder and group chief executive officer Kashif Ansari.

“It provides insights into new leases signed each quarter and offers valuable information on current rental market trends for tenants and investors.”

Accelerating growth

One of the key takeaways from the report is that, for the first time in a year, rental growth has accelerated rather than slowed. The current rate of increase suggests the market is on an upward trajectory, largely due to factors such as demand recovery, seasonal shifts and the return of international students.

“Our earlier forecast was that rental rates would climb moderately by 0% to 3%, but the index has already increased by 3.9%, more quickly than expected,” explained Ansari. “We now update our forecast and project that the index will have increased at an annual rate of 5.5% by the 1Q25.”

For the property industry, this is a clear signal that demand for rental properties remains robust, particularly in urban centres like Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. The surge in rents could prompt developers and investors to explore opportunities in both existing properties and new residential developments.

Regional disparities

The report also highlights significant regional disparities, with Kuala Lumpur maintaining higher rental prices than the national average. Rents in the capital are now 44% higher than the country-wide average and 51% above rents in neighbouring Selangor.

“In Kuala Lumpur, rents in the 2Q24 were up 5.7% compared to a year ago,” Ansari noted. “Selangor, by contrast, saw rents climb by 6.2%, but the overall cost is still much more affordable than in Kuala Lumpur.”

For the property industry, this disparity could encourage more development in suburban or neighbouring areas.

As affordability becomes a bigger concern for families and individuals, developers may focus on building in regions like Selangor, where rental prices are lower but demand is increasing.

“The affordability gap between Kuala Lumpur and Selangor may have encouraged some renters to move from the capital to more affordable neighbouring areas,” said Ansari. “The ability to work remotely has probably given further stimulus to this internal migration.”

The Covid Discount

Despite the rise in rents, many tenants are still benefitting from what the report calls the “Covid Discount”. This discount reflects the fact that rents have not yet fully rebounded to their pre-pandemic levels, particularly in high-demand areas like Kuala Lumpur.

“even though the inde climbed in the 2Q24, many renters still enjoy what we call the ‘Covid Discount’,” Ansari explains. “The average Malaysian renter now pays RM499 less in rent, which is a 20% discount from before the pandemic.

“In KL, the Covid discount is even bigger – renters are paying RM1,301 less on average, which is a 31% discount.”

This has significant implications for both renters and investors. While tenants continue to enjoy more affordable rents, the gradual recovery of the rental market means that prices are likely to rise further as economic conditions improve.

“Investors, on the other hand, may see the current market as a buying opportunity, expecting rents to return to pre-pandemic levels in the near future.”

For investors, the Covid Discount may present a buying opportunity, Ansari adds.

“If you anticipate rental income to bounce higher, closer to historic levels, in the future, buying now may enable you to benefit from income growth and capital appreciation.”

2Q24 figures show a 3.9% increase, which is 2.9% higher than the same quarter last year  The projecd annual growth rate is expected to reach 5.5% by the 1Q25

Stable yields

For property investors, the report offers positive news on rental yields, which remained stable across the country at 5.2% during the 2Q24. This stability makes Malaysia an attractive destination for investors seeking consistent returns from rental properties.

“Gross rental yields in Malaysia put the country in the top half of selected Asian countries, making residential investment property in Malaysia regionally competitive,” notes Ansari.

The stability in gross rental yields provides a degree of predictability for investors, allowing them to plan long-term strategies with confidence.

Developers may also see this as an opportunity to focus on regions with strong rental yield growth, such as Subang Jaya, where yields jumped by 0.6% to a new high of 6%.

“The location with the biggest increase in yields is Subang Jaya.

“This suggests a potentially favourable environment for property investors.

“The overall stability in yields benefits the rental market by making outcomes more predictable for both investors and occupants.”

Future growth

Looking ahead, the report suggests that economic growth will play a crucial role in shaping the property market, with rental rates expected to rise further.

The forecasted 5.5% annual increase in rental prices by 1Q25 reflects the broader recovery in Malaysia’s economy, which is likely to bring improvements in employment, disposable incomes and consumer spending.

“The slower recovery in some areas may be due to the economic challenges the country faced during the pandemic era,” Ansari points out.

“Now that Malaysia seems to be moving into a new growth cycle, we may expect to see a recovery in rental rates and further improvements in employment, disposable incomes and consumer spending.”

For the property industry, this presents both opportunities and challenges.

Developers will need to balance affordability concerns with the growing demand for rental properties, while investors will need to stay vigilant for changes in market conditions.

“The market is already showing signs of recovery and investors will focus on regions and property types that they anticipate will grow most quickly,” says Ansari.

With stable rental yields and the potential for rents to rise as the economy strengthens, the outlook for the Malaysian property industry remains positive.

Developers, investors and policymakers will need to adapt to the evolving market dynamics to capitalise on the opportunities ahead. - By JOSEPH WONG josephwong@thestar.com.my

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MyDigital ID tops one million registered users

MYDIGITAL ID RECORDS OVER 1 MLN REGISTERED USERS 

MyDigital ID Records Over 1 Mln Registered Users - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Over one million users have registered for MyDigital ID less than a year since its implementation.

MyDigital ID Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Mohd Mirza Mohamed Noor said this demonstrated Malaysia's readiness to embrace digital transformation, ensuring an easier and more secure way to access government and private sector services online.

"We are incredibly grateful to our users for their confidence in MyDigital ID and their proactiveness in protecting themselves in an ever-challenging digital future.

"Their participation plays a vital role in realising Malaysia’s MyDigital ID’s aspirations, and it is clear that Malaysians are ready to make the shift towards secure and efficient digital services,” he said in a statement on Friday (Oct 11).

ALSO READ: Do we really need a digital ID?

He emphasised that this achievement marks an important milestone in Malaysia's journey to becoming a digitally driven nation, adding that it also highlights the increasing awareness and enthusiasm among Malaysians in embracing digital technology.

Mohd Mirza remarked that as Malaysia enhances its digital transformation, MyDigital ID acts as a trusted digital key, offering quicker, safer and more convenient access to essential services while safeguarding user privacy and data integrity.

"Currently, the MyDigital ID application has been integrated with several government applications, such as the Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS) Mobile, MySejahtera, MyGov portal as well as MyJPJ. The platform will also see integration with popular applications in the future,” he said.

MyDigital ID's comprehensive services include access to secure e-government services, in addition to banking, telecommunications and healthcare.

ALSO READ: Integration with MyJPJ app postponed, not cancelled, says MyDigital ID boss

To register, users can download the MyDigital ID app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and sign up without visiting kiosks. After registration, Malaysians can log into various apps and portals using just one verification system, making it easier to manage access.

He also noted that the MyDigital ID system verifies users' identities for government platforms and transactions without collecting personal data. Instead, it compares details from MyKad and the user’s fingerprint or facial features with existing records from agencies like the National Registration Department (NRD) during the registration process.

"The implementation of MyDigital ID marks a pivotal step towards a more user-friendly and secure digital environment, aligned with the government’s vision of harnessing technology to empower its citizens.

"MyDigital ID Sdn Bhd would also like to emphasise and assure Malaysians that MyDigital ID does not store any biometric data of its users. It also does not collect, monitor or store personal data, all while ensuring users do not have more than one digital identity as safety measures,” he said. - Bernama

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Red flag in credit card fraud

 

With huge profits, it is time for banks and telcos to invest more in improving their infrastructure against rising criminal activities.

IT came as a huge shock to my colleague when she was saddled with a RM38,000 credit card bill – five transactions that took place in Brazil within minutes of each other, a country she had never visited in her life.

The purported expense came when she was travelling overseas. She only discovered her credit card was missing three months after the incident when the bank asked if she had her card with her.

“I was with another colleague in Hong Kong at the time. He received the same SMS alert from his bank. We both called our banks at the same time. But the difference was his bank stopped the transaction because they could not verify it,” she said.

Despite showing proof that she was in Hong Kong at the time of the transaction, her bank could not provide her with the details of the case as they did not ask the merchant for it. The minute they found out the transactions were physical, they washed off their hands and sent her a letter which indicated she was liable for the RM38,000.

“They even tried to charge a currency conversion fee, late fee and interest on the disputed transactions. Finally, after days of frustrating exchanges with the bank, I reported the case to Bank Negara, and only now the bank is reaching out to the merchant to investigate,” my colleague told me.

Sadly, her quandary is not something new. Credit card fraud is on the rise in Malaysia. But financial institutions in general argue that if a card is lost or stolen, it is still the responsibility of the cardholder if any transactions take place. But shouldn’t the onus be on the bank to at least perform due diligence on red flag transactions?

A year ago, banks under the ambit of the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and Associa-tion of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) launched their refreshed #JanganKenaScam awareness campaign.

At that time, the associations claimed that the campaign underscored the banking industry’s commitment to combating financial scams and preventing fraudulent banking activities.

They have since implemented several security measures to fight scams, such as migrating from the SMS One-Time-Password (OTP), tightening their fraud detection rules, imposing a cooling-off period for first-time online banking registrations, restricting secure authentications to a single device, and setting up dedicated fraud hotlines for customers.

According to the two associations, these measures have successfully prevented fraudulent transactions worth RM351mil.

But combating fraudsters is a constant battle, with the banks themselves admitting that there is an upward trend and huge losses due to credit card fraud.

Over the years, The Star has published numerous articles highlighting scams and scammers and credit card fraud.

In fact, exactly 10 years ago, we published a front-page article on fraudulent credit and debit card transactions.

We wrote: “Many consumers are questioning the assurance banks give on Internet security after discovering that their credit and debit cards have been used in unauthorised online transactions.”

Ten years later, nothing seems to have changed. If anything, things have got worse.

A study by Ipsos last December revealed that an overwhelming majority of Malaysians have encountered scams, with a distressing number reporting substantial financial harm. The study indicated that scams are exploiting the digital realm, signalling a shift in criminal tactics that jeopardises our collective economic health.

Despite the additional security measures, the current national scam awareness campaign throws the entire burden of fighting scams on poor defenceless Malaysians, many of whom are retired, in their senior age, and somewhat gullible.

This is in stark contrast to what our neighbour down south has done – Singapore is holding the telcos and banks responsible for customers who have fallen prey to scams.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) says financial institutions and telcos will have to compensate their customers who have been cheated if they are found to have breached their responsibilities.

These responsibilities include failure by banks to send outgoing transaction alerts to consumers and telcos failing to implement a scam filter for SMSes.

The Singapore authorities acknowledged that “responsibility for preventing scams should not lie solely with consumers but also with industry stakeholders”, such as the financial institutions and telcos.

The shared responsibility should also apply here because banks and telcos, as the primary gatekeepers, must do more to protect Malaysians.

Financial institutions play a critical role as a gatekeeper against the outflow of monies due to scams, while telcos play a supporting role as infrastructure providers for SMSes.

They must incorporate more circuit breakers and track the enormity of the scams that are taking place. Tracking is not good enough; they must also act on it.

With Budget 2025 to be tabled next week, I hope our reform-minded Finance Minister introduces stronger and better measures to help Malaysians and demand more from banks and telcos.

Banks and telcos have amazing balance sheets with huge profits. It is time that they invest more to improve the infrastructure against scamming and fraud.

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On track with Penang LRT construction from December

Exciting new journey: An artist’s impression of the Penang LRT’s Mutiara Line. — File pic

Penang's Long-Awaited LRT Project Set To Break Ground ...

GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s Light Rail Transport (LRT) dream will begin to take shape in December with a groundbreaking event, with the first station to be built in Lebuh Macallum.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke is said to have approved a date to get the 29km Mutiara Line landmark project off the ground.

The alignment starts from Penang Sentral on the mainland before crossing the channel to Lebuh Macallum.

From there, the multibillion-ringgit line will pass through Komtar, Bandar Sri Pinang, Sungai Pinang, East Jelutong, The Light, Gelugor, Jalan Universiti, Sungai Dua, Sungai Nibong, Bukit Jambul, SPICE, Jalan Tengah, the Free Industrial Zone, Free Industrial Zone South, Sungai Tiram, the Penang International Airport, Permatang Damar Laut and Silicon Island, which will serve as a depot.

A component of the Penang Transport Master Plan, the Penang LRT will have 20 stations, including two interchange stations at Komtar and Penang Sentral in Butterworth, with completion slated for 2030.

It was reported recently that project developer Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) might opt for a rubber-tyred metro system to save on operations and maintenance costs.

With annual ridership projected at between five million and 42 million passengers, the Penang government is counting on the mammoth project to ease chronic traffic congestion in the state.

The Gamuda-led group SRS Consortium is currently finalising terms and conditions for the civil works package, which will cost about RM7.6bil.

Gamuda is planning to bid for the electrification and signalling works, worth about RM1.2bil.

The project has three main components: civil construction works for Segment 1, covering the alignment of Silicon Island to Komtar; Segment 2, which covers the line from Komtar to Penang Sentral, and a turnkey contract for system and carriage (coach) works.

Small and Medium Enterprises Association honorary national secretary Yeoh Seng Hooi said the LRT project would also provide more jobs, with skilled locals to benefit.

“The spillover effects will benefit subcontractors and those providing goods and services for the project.

“Infrastructure development, which reduces transport costs and travel time, will boost foreign and domestic investments,” he said.Transport analyst Abi Sofian Abdul Hamid said incorporating support networks like shuttle services and parking facilities would ensure the LRT system’s efficacy.

He said transit-oriented “last-mile” development around LRT stations would contribute to green transportation and lower carbon emissions.

In June, Loke said he hoped that physical work could commence before the year’s end.

He also revealed that the LRT’s alignment had been finalised.

He said this was done after discussions with all parties and that the Penang government agreed with the alignment proposed by MRT Corp, with the passenger station starting from Bayan Lepas to Komtar and one line to Penang Sentral.

On March 29, Loke announced that the Federal Government had taken over the Penang LRT project from the state government, with MRT Corp appointed as developer and asset owner.

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Fake property agents scamming renters

Calling for action: Chong (seated, second from left) with Lee (Chong’s left) with the six property agents during the press conference. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Scammers have now ventured into new territory, posing as property agents to dupe unsuspecting renters in the Klang Valley out of thousands of ringgit, with 10 cases reported so far.

Apart from using the profile pictures of legitimate agents and copying their verification numbers on property sites, the scammers even conduct viewing sessions for clients and later collect rental deposits before going missing when the key handover is due.

Victor Lee, a spokesman representing six property agents whose profiles were duplicated by scammers to create identical accounts on a property site to dupe the public, said they only came to know of this after being alerted by their company.

“However, we were not aware of these transactions taking place using our names. Only after it happened did we realise that there were impostors,” Lee told a press conference held by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong here yesterday.

He said checks on the property site would find two accounts of the same agent, with one being fake.

“The contact number on the impostor account also redirects to a private number (which is not ours). Listed property prices in the impostors’ accounts are also lower than market rates to attract clients,” he said.

On viewing sessions conducted by the “agents”, Lee said he suspected the impostors rented the property through online rental sites, thus giving them access.

The scammers, he said, would then collect a three-and-a-half month rental deposit upfront, when the norm is that only one month’s advance rental is collected if the client agrees to the unit.

“The balance is usually paid when the unit is handed over to the tenant,” he said.

He said the deposits were also banked into an account number provided by the “agent” and once the transaction was made, the scammer would immediately block the mobile number of the client.

Meanwhile, Chong said losses from the scam amounted to about RM6,000 per case with approximately 10 cases reported so far.

Most of the scam victims are local and foreign students, he said.

“We want to warn the public about this type of scam and ask them to beware of the mobile numbers used in these cases,” he said, adding that he also suspected the scammers could be property agents themselves as they were well versed in rental procedures.

Chong said they would also hold dialogues with real estate associations to alert them on the matter.

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Syndicate using names of real estate agents