Malaysia’s property divide: Johor and Penang sizzle as Kuala Lumpur cools amid condo glut

[KUALA LUMPUR] Johor and Penang are defying the chill in Malaysia’s property market, buoyed by Singaporean spillover and industrial demand, even as Kuala Lumpur remains sluggish under a glut of unsold units, particularly in the high-rise segment.

Nationwide, transactions slipped 1.3 per cent in the first half of 2025 to 196,232 units, though values edged up 1.9 per cent to around RM107.7 billion (S$33 billion), suggesting prices remain firm even as sales momentum slowed.

The data from the National Property Information Centre (Napic) shows that while Malaysia’s property market has hit a soft patch, the slowdown is uneven.