Habitat for Humanity Malaysia| Contact information | HFH Malaysia
No. 38-2 (2nd) Floor
Jalan Prima Block C
Vista Magna Metro Prima
Kepong 52100, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Phone: +60 362594257
Fax: +60 362594852
E-mail: info@hfhmalaysia.org
| | Web site | www.hfhmalaysia.org
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Malaysia -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l 1
TROPICAL, RESOURCE-RICH Malaysia is a nation of two distinct geographic regions. Peninsular Malaysia boasts large cities, and an active agricultural, industrial and service economy. Across the South China Sea lies East Malaysia. East Malaysia, spread along much of the northern coast of the giant island of Borneo, is a land of forests and plantations.
Malaysia is on track towards achieving most of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The incidence of poverty is about 3.6 percent, down from 5.7 percent in 2004. The goal is to wipe out absolute poverty by 2010.
As part of this goal, the federal government is committed to providing greater accessibility to affordable and quality houses for low-income groups.
The federal and state governments recognize that demand for adequate housing will continue to outpace supply because, as elsewhere in Southeast Asia, there is a drift from rural villages towards towns and cities. Malaysia’s population is also growing rapidly.
Private and public sectors are being encouraged to work together in addressing housing problems among disadvantaged groups, such as government employees, widows and single mothers, the elderly and the disabled who do not have access to safe and decent houses.
HFH Malaysia built its first house in 1999 in Kuching, Sarawak. Affiliates were established in Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. In the past, the emphasis has been on working in semi-urban and rural areas, building houses along with some renovations.
HFH Malaysia has moved its national office to Kuala Lumpur and is focusing on providing immediate housing assistance to disadvantaged groups and families left behind by the country’s massive development efforts.
HFH Malaysia’s “Reaching the Unreached Program” works among the urban poor in peninsular Malaysia. It involves collaboration with government authorities and non-government organizations active among low-income groups. The collaboration has identified groups among the Orang Asli (indigenous group), and marginalized Indian, Chinese and Malay communities that need assistance with housing. Habitat’s strategy is to repair existing homes and encourage the building of core houses that can be extended and expanded later when families have sufficient funds to repay affordable loans.
In Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, Habitat continues its housing assistance project for low-income families in both urban and rural areas. HFH Malaysia built its first house in 1999 in Kuching, Sarawak.
Habitat affiliates use various construction methods: raised floor construction with timber; concrete slab construction with hollow blocks; and modular house construction with polystyrene panels.
The average house size ranges from 50 sq. m. up to nearly 60 sq. m. Home partners typically repay their no-profit mortgage over ten years at an average of US$26.50 a month. In most cases, this is lower than the rents they paid prior to becoming Habitat home partners.
Corporations play a key role in supporting HFH Malaysia’s programs. Among the strong supporters is Marriott International, which adopted Habitat for Humanity in 1995 as part of its “Spirit To Serve Our Communities” program.
HABITAT HIGHLIGHTS
• In September 2008, HFH Malaysia established partnerships with Hope Worldwide, Tara Foundation, Malaysian Care, Mercy Malaysia, OA Ministries and Women’s Aid Organization to implement a community-based project for the urban poor in Kuala Lumpur.
• The Kuching affiliate dedicated its 50th Habitat home in September 2008. From 2001 to 2008, Kuching hosted 26 Global Village teams from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai.
• A 25-minute documentary entitled ‘Auk Bah’ on Habitat’s work in Kuching was shown over state Radio Television Malaysia in July 2008. During the same month, a program called “Citra Manusia” featured Habitat homeowners from various ethnic groups in Sarawak in a documentary shown over national television ASTRO.
• Dow Chemical and Federal Express have provided their employees in Kuala Lumpur to build and repair houses among indigenous and marginalized Indian and Malay communities.
• On UN Habitat Day 2008, Habitat for Humanity dedicated a house in a disadvantaged community in Sungai Buloh.
• Since 2000, International School Kuala Lumpur has been sending teams of students to build in Kota Kinabalu. The affiliate has also hosted overseas teams from France and the United States.
• The Kota Kinabalu affiliate has maintained relationship with corporate partners such as Desa Cargill, Renaissance & Marriott Hotel Malaysia, International School Kuala Lumpur and International School Kota Kinabalu and Sabah State Library.
COUNTRY FACTS
Population: 25. 3 million (July 2008 est.)
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Area: 329,750 sq. km.
Ethnic groups: Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, Indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)
Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai, Iban and Kadazan, and other indigenous languages in East Malaysia
Religions: Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh. (Shamanism is practiced in the interiors of East Malaysia)
Updated January 2009
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