Cities Must Avoid Becoming Concrete Jungles, Housing Must Not Be Mere Commodity - Nga

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- Housing development worldwide must move away from treating homes as mere commercial commodities and guard against turning urban neighbourhoods into high-rise concrete jungles devoid of human connection, said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.

Nga, who is also president of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Assembly, said true urban progress should not be measured solely by towering skyscrapers, but by genuine improvements in community well-being through four fundamental pillars, namely affordability, livability, connectivity and comprehensive access to essential amenities.

“Housing should not merely be treated as a commodity for buying and selling but as a place where every family can build a secure and stable life. We must not only ensure that people can afford to buy a home, but also that they can live with peace of mind, comfort and dignity,” he said.

He said this in his address at the World Cities Day 2026 Forum on the topic of “Building High Quality Housing for the People” in Fuzhou, China.

Nga said meeting these benchmarks requires coordinated action spanning governments, builders, developers and the broader society.

Advocating for people-centred urban planning, he said physical structures must be anchored by integrated public transport, schools, medical centres and public recreational spaces to foster cohesive neighbourhoods.

“Good houses alone are not enough. We also need good communities. A neighbourhood filled with high-rise buildings but lacking human connection is nothing more than a concrete jungle,” he said.

Nga also urged municipal authorities and builders globally to integrate artificial intelligence, green building frameworks and smart construction technologies to lift building quality, boost energy efficiency and build resilience against climate disruptions and natural hazards.

“Urban development should not be measured merely by the number of skyscrapers built but by whether people's quality of life has genuinely improved. This is the essence of people-centred urban development,” he said.

On regional collaboration, he said the Ipoh Accord, established during the Fourth ASEAN-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction and Housing in Perak on Aug 1, underpinned cross-border initiatives in low-carbon design, urban renewal and community environment upgrading.

Nga expressed confidence that ongoing Malaysia-China and ASEAN-China partnerships would drive sustainable development for future generations.

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Every house we build and every community we plan today must not only meet the needs of the generation today but also of the generations to come,” he added.

-- BERNAMA