Study finds young Malaysians most likely to support ban on racially biased landlords

New Straits Times

16-07-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Young Malaysians aged 18 to 24 are more likely than any other age group to support a legal ban on racial discrimination by landlords.
This stance contrasts sharply with older generations, a new YouGov survey shows.
The survey, involving 1,104 respondents, found that Malaysians aged 18 to 24 were the only age group where more people supported making racial discrimination in renting illegal (39 per cent) than those who opposed it.
In contrast, 58.7 per cent of respondents aged 35 to 54 believed landlords should retain the right to select tenants based on race.
A report by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) said overall, nearly 57 per cent supported introducing a law to regulate the rental housing market, while only 10 per cent were against the proposed Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) — legislation that has been in the pipeline for years.
However, Malaysians remain divided on whether the RTA should specifically ban racial discrimination in housing.
Nearly half of all respondents said landlords should be allowed to choose tenants by race, while only 31 per cent supported making such practices illegal.
The findings were released during a forum hosted by Architects of Diversity (AOD), a civil society group advocating for equality in housing and education, to mark the launch of its report on discrimination in the rental market.
Forum participants called on the government to expedite and strengthen the RTA to include clear protections against racial discrimination.
"If the government fails to pass the Residential Tenancy Act — or worse, passes it without addressing racial discrimination — it will have missed its greatest opportunity to protect Malaysian Indians," said AOD executive director Jason Wee.
The survey found that Indians were the most affected by racial bias, with nearly two in five reporting discrimination while trying to rent a home.
Support for banning discrimination was highest among Indians (63.8 per cent), young adults (39 per cent), and full-time students (42 per cent).
Wee noted that young Malaysians, particularly minorities, are especially vulnerable to housing discrimination as they often rely on rented accommodation while studying or beginning their careers in urban areas.
The forum also highlighted common justifications landlords give for selecting tenants by race, including fear of problematic tenants, concerns about religious or cultural clashes, and entrenched personal biases masked as "racial preferences."