Transit-oriented Development Can Transform Rail Corridors Into Economic Engines - Rehda Institute
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- Unlocking a portion of the Railway Asset Corporation’s landbank, covering nearly 3,520.77 hectares, for transit-oriented development would transform railway corridors into economic engines, according to the Rehda Institute.
Its chairman, Datuk Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip, said that the initiative would boost ridership, expand housing supply, stimulate commercial activity and tourism, and strengthen the financial sustainability of the nation’s rail network, particularly along railway links in the southern and eastern corridors.
“Malaysia has this rare opportunity, and it is clear that integration across public transportation, namely road, rail, air, and sea, is essential.
“With seamless connectivity across regions and modes, Malaysia can emerge as a dependable regional hub for tourism, logistics and investment,” he said in his welcoming address at the annual Property Developers Conference, ‘The CEO Series 2026’ here, today.
In addition, he said the spillover effects would be substantial, as seamless connectivity could drive tourist receipts well beyond the RM329 billion projected for 2026, turning transport integration into a direct engine of economic growth.
“Unlocking railway links in the southern and eastern corridors is timely as we plan and realise new economic growth opportunities for the nation,” he said.
According to Ng, seamless integration is the key to the success of any public transport network.
“Malaysia has invested heavily in transport hardware, including the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS), the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), KTM's electric train service (ETS), as well as urban rail networks such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT).
“The next productivity leap will not come from more concrete, but from better integration,” he said.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the resurgence of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, Ng said the industry respectfully seeks a review of the proposed increase in stamp duty for foreign home purchases from four per cent to eight per cent.
“Foreign buyers, including participants of the MM2H programme, account for only 0.5 per cent of total transactions and are concentrated in the high-end segment, posing no competition to local buyers. Yet their investments generate important spillover effects across the economy, supporting job creation and local consumption in sectors such as retail, education, healthcare and services,” he said.
Following a strategic revamp, he added, MM2H has achieved exceptional success, with total inflows estimated at RM840 million as of June 2025, including a substantial RM237 million in property investments.
“This represents an 84 per cent increase in just the first six months of 2025, attracting high-net-worth individuals and global talent,” he said.
-- BERNAMA