Survey: Majority support residential tenancy laws, young Malaysians in favour of banning rental racial discrimination

PRESS STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

16 July 2025

Survey: Majority support residential tenancy laws, 

young Malaysians in favour of banning rental racial discrimination

• A nationally representative survey was run as part of YouGov’s Omnibus Survey on 3 July 2025 with 1,104 respondents comprising residents of Malaysia using a national online panel. 

• The majority of respondents (56.9%) support having a national law that sets clear rules in the rental housing market, with only a small minority (10.0%) in opposition. In the same vein, the majority of respondents (50.3%) also support a residential tenancy tribunal, with only a small minority (10.3%) in opposition.

• Respondents were split on banning rental racial discrimination, with the majority (49.9%) believing landlords should be allowed to choose based on race, a significant minority believing it should be illegal (31.6%), as well as fence sitters (18.4%).

• Across various demographic breaks, Indian Malaysians (63.8%), young respondents (18-24, 39.0%) and full-time students (42.3%) are among groups that had majority support for making race-based tenant rejection illegal.

Background

The Residential Tenancy Act was first floated by former Minister of Housing and Local Government (KPKT, Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan), Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin in January 2019 as part of the National Housing Policy 2018-2025 then during the Pakatan Harapan administration. The National Housing Policy Strategy 2.3 aims to establish a regulated rental market to protect both landlords and tenants, as well as to improve accessibility and affordability of home ownership. In 2022, KPKT initiated public consultations sessions with various bodies and agencies across industries. However, the bill was not tabled in Parliament. In March 2023, then Deputy Minister of KPKT, YB Akmal Nasir, announced the intention to table the bill by 2024. In November 2024, KPKT Minister YB Nga Kor Ming announced renewed engagement sessions with state governments and stakeholders had begun and were expected to conclude by the end of the first quarter of 2025. In March 2025, YB Nga announced that the ministry is still drafting the bill.​

  The Residential Tenancy Act is long-awaited due to significant gaps in current laws. The current landlord-tenant relationship is governed by a patchwork of general laws, including the Contracts Act 1950, Specific Relief Act 1950 Distress Act 1953 and Civil Law Act 1956, among others. Among various residential tenancy issues highlighted in a joint report by Architects of Diversity and Social Democracy Malaysia include the need for an improved dispute resolution process in the form of a rental tribunal, fair and defined conditions of eviction, non-discrimination clauses and clarification of landlord-tenant responsibilities.

Survey

This brief survey is intended to provide a measurement of public sentiment on residential tenancy issues, as well as identify differentiated opinions of various communities. A nationally representative survey was run as part of YouGov’s Omnibus Survey on 3 July 2025 with 1,104 respondents comprising residents of Malaysia using a national online panel. Respondents were able to answer the survey in English or Bahasa Melayu. Reported figures are unweighted.

Key Findings

• The majority of respondents (56.9%) support having a national law that sets clear rules in the rental housing market, with only a small minority (10.0%) in opposition.

  • Older respondents (45-54, 64.8%; 55+, 68.8%), respondents from the Central region (61.9%) and higher income respondents (RM6,000-RM9,999, 66.9%; RM10,000 and above, 76.9%) had statistically significantly higher net support for a national law compared to other comparative demographic groups.

• In the same vein, the majority of respondents (50.3%) also support a residential tenancy tribunal, with only a small minority (10.3%) in opposition.

  • Older respondents (45-54, 69.6%; 55+, 67.7%), Chinese respondents (57.7%), Central region respondents (57.6%), higher income respondents (RM6,000-RM9,999, 64.3%; RM10,000 and above, 71.1%), degree holders and above (degree, 62.9%; higher degree, 63.4%) as well as retired respondents (65.0%) had statistically significantly higher net support for a residential tenancy tribunal compared to other comparative demographic groups.

• Respondents were split on banning rental racial discrimination, with the majority (49.9%) believing landlords should be allowed to choose based on race, a significant minority believing it should be illegal (31.6%), as well as fence sitters (18.4%).

  • Across various demographic breaks, Indian Malaysians (63.8%), young respondents (18-24, 39.0%) and full-time students (42.3%) are among groups that had majority support for making race-based tenant rejection illegal.

  • Among groups that significantly believed more than the overall average that landlords should be able to discriminate include Gen X respondents (45-54, 59.6%), Malay respondents (57.5%), degree holders (54.5%) and middle-income respondents (RM4,000-RM5,999, 60.4%; RM6,000-RM9,999, 58.0%).

  • Meanwhile, respondents with lower levels of education were more unsure than the average (SPM-equivalent, 25.2%; PT3-equivalent, 34.8%; UPSR, 35.9%).

Commentary

Malaysia is no stranger to stories of rental racial discrimination, highlighted by recent cases such as a Kadazan man being told he is "not Malaysian enough" to rent a room in Puchong and a Malaysian Indian woman sharing she was rejected by rentals 300 times for her race. A previous study by The Centre noted that a sizable proportion of B40 and M40 Malaysians are renting in proportion to the rest of the country. The Residential Tenancy Act is both a clear window of opportunity and a moral obligation for the government to protect minority and marginalised groups in Malaysia.

The rental market is due for more formalised regulation. Landlords can already claim tax benefits from renting out their properties, but tenants are still made vulnerable to discrimination. A Residential Tenancy Act would improve conditions for both landlords and tenants by improving resolution mechanisms and defining responsibilities. 

Architects of Diversity (Persatuan Pendidikan Diversiti) is a youth-led non-profit organisation that aims to create a peaceful, equitable and inclusive Malaysia. Since 2018, AOD has worked by seeding and promoting ideas and values for diversity, building empowered leaders and communities, and equipping them with the tools and resources to influence and enact systemic change.

To access and download the full survey, visit https://www.aodmalaysia.org/rta-omnibus. 

Survey Report

ARCHITECTS OF DIVERSITY MALAYSIA 

16 JULY 2025

For media contact and further information, please reach out to Yasmin Hanis at yasmin@aodmalaysia.org