Cabinet reshuffle expected
Cabinet changes are on the cards after all. Two months after he last dismissed persistent talk of ministers being replaced, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad now says a Cabinet reshuffle is set to happen soon. He said some ministers would be dropped but it would not happen “today or tomorrow”, instead “very likely before Malaysia hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) next year. ” Dr Mahathir said that the reshuffle should not be “radical” so as to affect the run-up to next year’s annual Apec meeting. He had several times publicly denied any plans to make changes in the line-up of ministers, most recently in a radio interview in September. He said a Cabinet reshuffle may even bring about new problems and therefore, there was much to be taken into account. (The Star Online)

Report: Putrajaya’s proposed new economic corridor could revive HSR project sooner
The federal government could resume the postponed high-speed rail (HSR) project with Singapore sooner than expected if a new planned development blueprint is passed by the national Economic Action Council (EAC), according to The Straits Times. Citing anonymous government officials, the Singapore daily said the new plan aims to create a network of economic centres stretching from Bandar Malaysia — the Malaysian end of the shelved HSR project — here all the way south to Johor. The NEC could begin as early as next year if it gets the green light from the EAC, chaired by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The plan is still in its infancy and remains hush-hush; it has currently been given the working name New Economic Corridor (NEC). The HSR, shelved for two years due to is prohibitive RM110 billion cost, will be coming up again for bilateral discussion between Malaysia and Singapore on May 31. (Malay Mail)

Ideas: Affordable housing should focus on B10 instead of B40
The government should review its approach for affordable housing by focusing on the bottom 10% (B10) instead of the current bottom 40% (B40), according to Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) senior fellow Carmelo Ferlito. “There needs to be a discussion about affordable shelter for the B10. For the poor to commit to a 25-year loan would put them into a difficult situation, especially when the economic cycle is bad. I’d rather advise the government to think about rental support rather than credit support,” he said. Ferlito highlighted that the home ownership issue in Malaysia is not alarming as statistics show that the home ownership ratio is 76.3%, which is one of the highest in Asia. (The Sun Daily)

Core Precious set to launch Core Residence @ TRX
Core Precious Development Sdn Bhd, a boutique developer, will launch its maiden residential project, Core Residence @ TRX, at the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Nov 25). The RM1.4 billion high-end freehold project will be developed on a 1.65-acre land in the Kuala Lumpur International Financial District. The project features three blocks of serviced residences with 700 residential units, scheduled for completion in early 2024. Core Precious is a joint-venture (JV) company between WCT Holdings Bhd and China Communications and Construction Group (CCCG). Core Residence @ TRX will feature naturally-lit and well-ventilated property units that embrace the iconic views of the Kuala Lumpur cityscape, complemented by top-notch amenities. (NST Online)

Housing Ministry to release wakaf land framework in Jan
The Housing & Local Government Ministry is set release the wakaf land development framework in January next year. According to its Deputy Minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, the act will encompass 30,000 hectares of wakaf land under the management of Baitulmal in Peninsular Malaysia. “There’s a lot of very prime land which falls under wakaf land that has been neglected and underused, we feel that beneficiaries should get more returns out of it,“ he said. He believes the move will overcome the constraints associated with the wakaf land and it could be used for residential or mixed development. The wakaf land is earmarked for general development and not for specific functions, he added. (The Sun Daily)