(From second left) Mohd Arifin and Wong launching the SHAREDA PROPEX 2026.
KOTA KINABALU (July 10): The Sabah government remains committed to ensuring every Sabahan has access to quality, affordable and sustainable housing, said State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif.
He said the ministry would continue expanding housing opportunities, improving accessibility and enhancing the quality of life of the people through various initiatives.
“While the government provides the policy framework and public housing initiatives, the private sector remains an indispensable partner in meeting Sabah’s growing housing needs,” he said during the launch of SHAREDA PROPEX 2026 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here.
Mohd Arifin also commended the Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (SHAREDA) and its member developers for delivering quality developments and building sustainable communities that contribute to the state’s continued growth.
He said the property sector remained an important pillar of Sabah’s economy, generating employment, attracting investment and stimulating various supporting industries.
However, he acknowledged that the sector continued to face challenges, with global economic uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts, supply chain disruptions, fluctuating exchange rates and rising fuel prices contributing to increased development costs.
Mohd Arifin said the ministry had received feedback from developers indicating moderate increases in construction and regulatory compliance costs, which were expected to result in corresponding adjustments to the prices of new residential properties.
He said the ministry had been working closely with SHAREDA, local authorities and relevant stakeholders to improve the efficiency of development approval processes, including streamlining procedures, reducing administrative delays and promoting the use of digital platforms for planning and development approvals.
“These initiatives are aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening transparency and reducing holding costs for developers, while maintaining regulatory standards and good governance,” he said.
Mohd Arifin also highlighted the strong partnership between his ministry and SHAREDA, saying their continued engagement on housing policies, planning approvals, land administration and regulatory improvements had contributed to strengthening Sabah’s property sector and supporting the aspirations of Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0.
Speaking to reporters at the event, Mohd Arifin said the ministry had established a State Planning Council to assess, consider and evaluate development proposals before granting interim approvals for projects, including residential, industrial and tourism developments.
“All applications are carefully considered. Once all the relevant agencies have given their approvals, we grant interim approval, subject to certain conditions,” he said.
He said the conditions included compliance with requirements imposed by relevant ministries and agencies, including the Tourism Ministry on environmental matters, the Public Works Department on road infrastructure, and other technical agencies.
The approach was intended to facilitate and expedite the planning and development process, particularly for projects that would benefit the people, he said.
Mohd Arifin said the council meets monthly and had approved more than 30 applications last month, representing an estimated gross development value (GDV) of about RM1.4 billion.
The approved projects covered residential developments, industrial projects and several tourism infrastructure initiatives.
“However, these are interim approvals granted subject to conditions. Final approval will only be given once all the stipulated requirements and regulations have been fully complied with.”
Also present at the event was SHAREDA president Datuk Johnny Wong Chen Yee.