Affordable housing to lose ‘1Malaysia’ tag, says minister
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the government’s affordable housing schemes will be streamlined and centralised for easier management. About 11 affordable housing agencies will also be rebranded. The signage of PR1MA houses has already been taken down while the ministry looks into proper names, subject to the Cabinet approval. Among other affordable housing agencies include the 1Malaysia Public Housing Project (PPA1M), Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB), and the Federal Territory Affordable Homes (Rumawip). (Malay Mail Online)

Cabinet paper to coordinate all housing-related entities under KPKT
A Cabinet paper on the proposal to coordinate all housing-related entities under the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) will be tabled in a month’s time, says Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin. The paper was aimed at enabling all the entities to operate in a centralised manner under the Ministry, as all existing housing agencies are not centralised currently. At present, various agencies and Ministries are involved in housing projects, such as in the development of the 1Malaysia Mesra Rakyat Housing by Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd; 1Malaysia Public Servant Housing under the Prime Minister’s Department; Housing Aid Programme under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry; and Federal Territories Housing (Rumawip) under the Ministry of Federal Territories. (The Edge Markets)

Retail segment could feul loans growth in 2018
The retail segment is expected to be the main driver for loans growth this year moderated by ‘cautiousness’ from 6.0% year-on-year previously to 5.5%. MIDF Research said the revision was due to the impact of the surprise GE14 result, citing that businesses adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to the new government’s economic policy direction. The research house foresees the delay in loans demand and disbursement coming from corporate and small medium enterprise (SME) segment. The firm has also maintained its expectations that loans growth will come in better this year compared to last year level. The expectation is based on the current trend of loans applied and approval which will provide a steady loans pipeline. (NST Online)

Mayor: KL City Plan 2020 to be gazetted by year-end
DBKL will need another six months to complete the gazetting of the land plots within its jurisdiction as part of the KL City Plan 2020. KL Mayor Tan Sri Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said the gazetting of the land plots would be crucial to empower the authorities to have a better grip on issues pertaining to land development and its processes within the city, including land transfers and title conversions. He said previously it was difficult for the council to control land developments in the city, including land transfer activities, as the plots are owned by various parties. In a report, Knight Frank Malaysia MD Sarkunan Subramaniam said land exploitation would be more difficult to execute once the local authority finalised the draft to designate and gazette the land plots in thecity. “Changing a forest reserve land for commercial use is much harder to do if the local plan was gazetted with clear zoning,” he said. (The Malaysian Reserve)

King consents to Tommy Thomas as AG
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, has consented to the appointment of Tommy Thomas as the new Attorney-General (AG). He has also called on Malaysians to accept the appointment of the AG, adding it should not create conflict as every Malaysian should be treated fairly regardless of their race or religion. The Agong has also approved the termination of Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali as AG after taking into consideration the views of the Malay Rulers on three issues, namely the appointment of the AG, the rights of the bumiputras, and the rule of the Council of Rulers as stated under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution. (The Star Online)