In the capital market landscape, few instruments have been as quietly successful as the Malaysian real estate investment trusts (M-REITs). Over two decades, M-REITs have evolved from a niche product into a RM55bil bellwether of institutional stability, offering retirees a rare combination of liquidity, transparency and predictable yield. Central to this success has been the withholding tax (WHT) exemption on distributed income. Policymakers often frame this as a concession – a generous tax break. This framing is dangerously shortsighted.

Source: The Star April 05, 2026 09:37 UTC