Planning Approval Duration and Regulatory Challenges in Housing Development in Sarawak: A Preliminary Review

As Malaysia’s population reaches approximately 34 million in 2023, the demand for housing continues to grow, pushing the government to develop the National Housing Policy and the state government's policy for housing. However, despite the urgency to build housing provisions, there appear to be delays in the planning approval process, affecting project timelines and governance efficiency. Prolonged approval durations can lead to cost overruns and inefficiencies in resource allocation, as well as weaken the developer's cash flow and confidence, ultimately impacting housing supply and urban development. Thus, efficient governance is essential to fulfilling housing policy objectives. While previous studies have examined regulatory inefficiencies and procedural barriers, many adopt a one-sided approach, favouring either government agencies or developers. This leaves a gap in understanding how governance structures, administrative processes, and inter-agency coordination contribute to discrepancies in approval durations. This research aims to critically analyse the approval timeline and regulatory challenges in Sarawak’s housing development process, contrasting with Peninsular Malaysia’s planning system, which is under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 and streamlined by digital platforms like OSC 3.0 Plus. The specific planning framework and land administration in Sarawak, regulated by the Sarawak Land Code and Local Authorities Ordinance 1996, lead to an uncoordinated and often sequential approval process, causing delays in housing delivery and inflated development costs. A qualitative research approach will be employed, utilising document analysis and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including local authority town planners and private developers. By assessing the governance and efficiency of approval processes, stakeholder roles, and decision-making mechanisms, this research aims to provide insights into similarities and differences in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia’s planning frameworks to seek the best practice to enhance regulatory transparency. This research outcome will lead to producing evidence-based insights that are both diagnostic and prescriptive, derived from all the data gathered. This is crucial for assisting policymakers and regulatory bodies in improving approval efficiency and supporting the timely delivery of housing projects in the state.