KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
Malaysia’s Housing and Local Government Ministry is exploring a pay-per-use model for facilities in future affordable housing projects. Residents would use access cards and only pay for amenities like gyms, swimming pools, and playgrounds when they use them.
At first glance, the idea sounds fair — why pay for facilities you never touch? But implementing it is not as simple as it seems.
The Practical Hurdles
Community Impact: Affordable housing isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s about building cohesive communities. When every facility becomes a paid service, it risks creating divisions between residents with different financial means or lifestyle needs.
Design & Maintenance: Facilities in most high-rises are spread across the property. A pay-per-use model works best when grouped in a single clubhouse, but that raises questions: Should users pay a flat entry fee even if they only use the gym for 30 minutes?
Upkeep Costs: Regardless of usage, maintenance costs remain high. Utilities, repairs, and replacements don’t stop, even if fewer people use the facilities. Eventually, those costs fall back on residents.
Governance Questions
Who sets the rates? How often will they be reviewed?
Who manages the funds? Will they cover actual maintenance costs?
Legal grey area: If only paying users access facilities, do they still qualify as “common property” under the law?
Leasing to private operators could be an option, but in affordable housing, profitability is uncertain.
Good Intentions, But…
The goal is to ease the burden on non-users and improve maintenance collection, which has long been a problem in affordable housing. However, the model risks creating a “consumer” mentality among residents instead of fostering shared responsibility.
Educational campaigns can help, but history shows that fee collection relies on enforcement, good governance, and visible results. Residents are more willing to pay when they see clean, well-maintained facilities.
Should Subsidies Play a Role?
For low- and middle-income projects, the government may need to consider temporary public subsidies to stabilize maintenance in the early years until fee collection improves. Another option is to allow some amenities to be opened to non-residents for a fee to offset costs.
The Bottom Line
A pay-per-use model is innovative but not a silver bullet. It might fix one problem while creating others — especially around community unity and long-term sustainability. Before moving forward, it needs clearer legislation, detailed planning, and an understanding of human behavior in shared living spaces.
In affordable housing, the challenge isn’t just balancing costs; it’s balancing fairness with community harmony.
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