The delegation, comprising senior developers, urban planners, legal experts and government representatives, will engage UK policymakers, leading architectural firms and academic institutions to exchange insights on best practices for regeneration, integrated city planning and affordable housing delivery.
The initiative comes at a pivotal moment as Malaysia advances urban regeneration frameworks, strata law reforms, policies to reduce congestion, promote public transport, and improve liveability in social and affordable housing.
Four Strategic Forums in the UK
During the programme, delegates will participate in four high-level forums designed to facilitate structured engagement with UK experts and policymakers.
The first forum, Industry Insights & Welcome Forum, will take place in London and be hosted by Foster + Partners. The session will focus on transit-oriented development, urban regeneration and planning strategies, with a welcome address from Tom Copley.
The second forum, Legal & Market Forum, will be organised by Trowers & Hamlins in London. The forum will examine UK urban regeneration laws, leasehold and strata governance frameworks, offering comparisons for Malaysia’s ongoing housing and strata law reforms.
A third forum on Sustainability & Water Management will be held in Bath and hosted by Wessex Water in collaboration with YTL Developments. Discussions will focus on sustainable infrastructure, water management and environmental practices relevant to resilient urban development.
The programme will conclude with the Housing & Urban Planning Forum in Cambridge, co-organised with the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University. The forum will explore urban regeneration, planning innovation and sustainable housing delivery, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange between Malaysian leaders and UK academics.
Site Visits to Major Urban Regeneration Projects
Delegates will also visit several landmark developments in the UK, including projects developed internationally by Malaysian companies.
Among the sites are Embassy Gardens by EcoWorld Development Group Berhad, Royal Mint Gardens by IJM Corporation Berhad, Brabazon by YTL Developments, and the Woolwich student accommodation development by Gamuda Land.
These visits will provide practical insights into large-scale regeneration, adaptive reuse, purpose-built rental housing and integrated urban districts, with lessons that could be applied to Malaysia’s housing and redevelopment priorities.
Strengthening Malaysia’s Housing and Urban Development Expertise
According to Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip, the initiative is about strengthening expertise within Malaysia’s built environment sector.
“This study tour is fundamentally about strengthening Malaysia’s human capital in the housing and built environment sectors,” said Dato’ Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip, Chairman of REHDA Institute.
“As our cities grow more complex, industry leaders need deeper knowledge in urban planning, housing delivery and regeneration. By engaging UK policymakers and experts, we are equipping our leaders to build more resilient, liveable and well-planned Malaysian cities.”
Eddy Chen highlighted the importance of academic collaboration in Cambridge.
“This engagement brings Malaysian leaders together with experts from the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University, strengthening international knowledge exchange to address long-term housing challenges and sustainable urban development.”
Meanwhile, Ho Hon Sang emphasised the value of learning from international urban development models.
“Urban regeneration and integrated planning are crucial to shaping Malaysia’s cities. Exposure to international experiences allows our industry to adapt best practices to local development realities.”
Ng Seing Liong added that the programme aims to translate insights into real outcomes for Malaysia.
“The focus is not just observation, but translating global insights in regeneration, financing and sustainable development into actionable outcomes for Malaysia.”
According to David S. Chong, the initiative reflects the organisation’s broader role in strengthening industry knowledge networks.
“This programme demonstrates REHDA Institute’s role in building bridges between industry, policymakers and global knowledge partners, strengthening the expertise needed to support Malaysia’s long-term urban development and housing agenda.”
Participation in the study tour is limited to maintain a focused delegation of senior industry leaders and decision-makers. Those interested in participating may contact Ms Aisyah via WhatsApp at +60 10 713 1641.
