KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) has welcomed the measures under Budget 2027 to ease living costs and enhance homeownership affordability, particularly praising the extension and expansion of stamp duty exemptions for first-time homebuyers.
The developer highlighted the proposed extension of full stamp duty exemption on loan agreements and instruments of transfer for first-home purchases priced up to RM500,000 to Dec 31, 2030, alongside the expanded relief for properties priced between RM500,000 and RM750,000.
Under the expanded relief covering sale and purchase agreements executed from Jan 1, 2027, to Dec 31, 2030, eligible first-time homebuyers will receive a full stamp duty exemption on the first RM500,000 and a 50% exemption on the balance.
Mah Sing noted that these stamp duty measures directly support its product portfolio, as approximately 97% of the group's residential offerings are priced below RM750,000.
The group also commended government initiatives to boost household disposable income, including the increased RM16 billion allocation for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah, the proposed increase in individual tax relief from RM9,000 to RM12,000, and the one-percentage-point tax rate reduction for selected income bands.
Additionally, Mah Sing welcomed the housing financing guarantee of up to RM20 billion under Syarikat Jaminan Kredit Perumahan to assist 80,000 first-time homebuyers, particularly self-employed individuals and non-fixed income earners.
Mah Sing founder and group managing director Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum said: "We commend the government's holistic approach to addressing the cost of living and improving homeownership affordability through measures that enhance household disposable income, ease upfront homeownership costs and strengthen access to housing financing."
He added: "We are equally encouraged by the government's continued emphasis on infrastructure development, public transport connectivity, energy security and the transition towards a greener economy."
Beyond residential housing, the group applauded the RM15 billion allocation to strengthen the national electricity grid and the four-year extension of green technology tax incentives until 2030, which aligns with its expansion into Mah Sing Industrial Park @ Kulai in Johor as well as data centre-related plans at Southville City in Bangi and Meridin East in Johor.
Mah Sing also expressed support for stamp duty exemptions aimed at facilitating the rehabilitation of abandoned housing projects in line with the government's target of zero abandoned projects by 2030.
Meanwhile, corporate responsibility partner Mah Sing Foundation welcomed community-focused allocations, including nearly RM69 billion for the Ministry of Education, RM1.5 billion for persons with disabilities, RM50 million for Komuniti Angkat Madani, RM200 million for Geran Sejahtera Madani, and RM3.3 billion for rural infrastructure.