COMMENT | The optics of visiting or even temporarily staying in dilapidated, low-cost flats do little to address the core issues embedded in the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA).

While the draft bill may soon be presented in Parliament, the government, particularly Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, is engaging in political theatrics to make the URA appear more appealing to the public.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has recently invited members of the opposition to visit these rundown urban dwellings.

Such gestures amount to little more than cheap publicity stunts. Nga surely knows that these visits will do nothing to build genuine momentum or consensus for the URA.

The real problem with the URA lies in its troubling provisions, especially the potential reduction in the consent threshold required for selling apartment units in urban renewal zones.