Integration: A study in the context of low cost housing projects in Malaysia with special reference to the state of penang

This research has been undertaken to identify and study the factors which influence the provision of housing in Malaysia including the affordable (low cost) category (i.e. with an upper cost limit of RM 25,000.00 per unit) based initially upon a review of progress between the First (1970) and the fifth (1995) Malaysia Plans. This showed a considerable under provision of residential housing development nationally and most particularly in the affordable category during that period and since. To undertake the further analysis of these findings and problems some of the major ideas of system theory in management of large scale projects and their application to the development and construction process are introduced. This facilitated a more detailed examination, in the context of the State of Penang, of both present and future public and private sector residential requirements; and the characteristics and responses by the building industry as a whole and of the individual institutions and firms concerned to contribute to meetings these needs. This led to the development of a system chart showing all of the major factors involved. The first part of this analysis was to examine government legislations and policies, planning and implementation regulations and processes and development cost; The second part was concerned with the present state and benefits of enhancing integration of the many institutions participating in the residential development process. The context in which they all operate was seen to be of crucial importance in determining their behaviour and the outcomes associated with it. One features noted was the failure of local authorities to enforce the requirement that 30% of any housing development had to be low cost. An applied research approach was used throughout, based upon evaluation and action, which aimed respectively to identify real problems and to seek practical solutions; rather than theory building or testing of conjectures. In general, the results conclude that there are special problems in the process of planning and production of affordable (low cost) housing in Malaysia. Housing policies, the planning and implementation and costs of projects do not attract or favour developers in a market economy. The study concludes that if the objectives of affordable (low cost) housing provision are to be achieved, all participants, including developers must be motivated and their contributions integrated and co-ordinated if improvement of the present approach to meet housing needs is to be effected. And to this end, recommendations for early change, and for further research, are suggested.