Kuala Lampur, July 9 -- Malaysia, through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, has recently won its bid for the presidency of the UN Habitat General Assembly. As Malaysia sits as co-chair for the UN Habitat presidency for the next 2 years (2025-2027), the national housing agenda must take centre stage in our wider discourse on advancing efforts to promote sustainable urbanisation and human settlements. To do this, we must reflect on the current practices of our own housing sector to forge the way forward for ourselves and the world.

A house is, first and foremost, a home.

Houses are owned or occupied by people, are located within a neighbourhood, and form part of a wider kampung, town or city. Houses fulfil the basic human righ...