Nothing foolish about opposing unjust law, Fadhli tells Kepong MP

Summary

• PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari criticises DAP MP Lim Lip Eng for accusing the Islamist party of indulging in scare tactics over the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA).

• He says the proposed law gives too much power to the government and developers.

• Fadhli adds that the law is not about facilitating development but rather about who gets to control land in urban areas.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has described those in support of the proposed Urban Renewal Act as leaders who don’t understand the implications of such a law on ordinary citizens.

This comes in response to DAP MP Lim Lip Eng accusing the Islamist party of indulging in scare tactics over the proposed Act.

“This law gives enormous power to the government and developers and it’s not foolish for us to oppose it.

“We are trying to ensure justice is not sidelined for the sake of vested interests,” Fadhli (above) said in a statement today.

Earlier, Lim defended the Act, saying that it was a way to address urban poverty.

“If PAS wants to defend crumbling houses and let people live in dangerous conditions, that’s their choice.

“But the Madani government will not allow urban poverty to persist out of fear of change,” he said.

Yesterday, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming refuted Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's claim that the Urban Renewal Act was akin to a “House-Grabbing Act”.

The minister assured that the proposed Act safeguards the original ownership of properties and that no party would forcibly seize them, dismissing critics’ concerns that it could marginalise certain communities.

“This Act, whether explicitly or implicitly, will not marginalise or threaten any group, particularly in terms of racial differences or income levels, specifically the B40 and M40 groups.

“There is no element of coercion or gentrification in drafting this Act, as a key implementation mechanism of the Urban Renewal Act is to obtain the consent of property owners through negotiation, not through forced acquisition,” Nga said.

Under the proposed law, the government suggested that the consent threshold of approval for a place to be developed be lowered to 80 percent for buildings under 30 years old, 75 percent for buildings over 30 years old, and 51 percent for unsafe or abandoned properties.

‘Displacing Malays, Indians’

Unimpressed, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had described the proposed Act as a subtle tactic to displace poor Malays and Indians from urban areas.

The Kubang Kerian MP also pointed out that the existing legislation is sufficient.

On that note, Fadhli said that based on the Urban Renewal Act, it would only require 75 percent consent of the existing land dwellers to allow the acquisition of the place.

“So, what happens to the 25 percent who disagree? They will be forced to accept the decision made.

“My question is, since when can the majority suppress the minority’s voice?

“How can the government force those who reject moves for their land to be acquired to accept the decision made, just in the name of progress?” asked the Pasir Mas MP.

Advantage to developers?

Fadhli also questioned why the director-general of the Lands and Mines Department, an agency under the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, was not managing the land acquisition issues.

“Why give so much power to the Housing and Local Government Ministry, which usually deals with developers?

“The move gives a perception that the law is to give an advantage to developers to acquire land easily,” he claimed.

The PAS leader alleged that the proposed law was not about facilitating development but rather about who gets to control land in urban areas.

“If the government wants to help the people, they should be introducing a land ownership scheme guaranteeing the original dwellers ownership of their land, not ease the process for a developer to acquire the place with just the agreement of some,” he added.

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