WAQF-BASED AFFORDABLE HOUSING MODEL: A SUSTAINABLE ISLAMIC PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR URBAN MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i42.2052Keywords:
waqf, affordable housing, Islamic property development, urban Malaysia, sustainable developmentAbstract
The persistent gap between urban housing prices and household income in Malaysia has rendered homeownership increasingly unattainable for the B40 and M40 income groups. Despite numerous government-led initiatives, including PR1MA and the People’s Housing Programme (PPR), structural limitations in public financing capacity and land availability continue to constrain meaningful progress. This article proposes a waqf-based affordable housing model as a sustainable Islamic property development framework for Malaysian urban contexts. Drawing upon a systematic review of existing literature, institutional reports, and comparative case analyses, this study critically examines the theoretical foundations of productive waqf, its financing instruments including Sukuk Ijarah and Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS), and the governance structures of State Islamic Religious Councils (Majlis Agama Islam Negeri, MAIN) and the Department of Awqaf, Zakat and Hajj (JAWHAR). The proposed model integrates the principles of Maqasid al-Shariah with contemporary urban planning imperatives, particularly in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11). The analysis reveals that while waqf land represents a significant and underutilised asset base exceeding 30,000 hectares nationally, institutional fragmentation, legislative constraints, and limited professional capacity among MAIN have impeded productive development. This article argues that a reformed governance architecture, combining centralised oversight with decentralised project delivery through public-private partnerships, offers the most viable pathway for scaling waqf-based housing in urban Malaysia.
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