URA: DAP youth slams opposition MPs for dodging site visit

Summary

• Woo Kah Leong describes PN MPs’ skipping a site visit meant to promote understanding of the Urban Renewal Act as cowardly.

• Housing Minister Nga Kor Ming confirms that opposition MPs were invited but failed to attend, despite initially agreeing.

• Woo says the Act is meant to improve housing conditions for all races, not displace Malays.

DAP Youth chief Woo Kah Leong has strongly criticised Perikatan Nasional MPs for allegedly pulling out at the last minute from a site visit organised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry to inspect ageing low-cost flats in the Klang Valley.

Woo condemned their no-show as “cowardly”, “dishonest”, and a failure to uphold their responsibilities as elected representatives.

“The facts are clear - it was PN MPs who failed to show up. They didn’t even have the courage to step into Malay-majority flats to understand the people’s concerns.

“Yet, they spend their days hiding in Parliament or their constituencies spreading lies and slander. These are cowardly politicians who betray the people with mere words,” Woo (above) said in a statement today.

The ministry organised the Urban Renewal Expedition to help all 222 MPs gain a better understanding of the proposed Urban Renewal Act.

The visit yesterday covered four sites: two dilapidated, unsafe flats - Flat Sutera (Taman Desa Bakti, Selayang) and Block A, Flat Kuchai Jaya (Taman Kuchai Jaya) - and two successfully redeveloped projects - 1 Razak Mansion (Salak Selatan) and Residensi Kerinchi (Bangsar South).

Yesterday, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming expressed disappointment over the absence of opposition MPs, noting that special invitations were sent to all.

“As we all know, there are those who are politicising this issue. For the record, I have sent special invitations to all MPs, including opposition members from PN.

At first, they agreed to attend, but on the day of the expedition, they failed to show up,” Nga said at a press conference after the visit, according to Bernama.

‘Afraid to face reality’

Woo further criticised PN for spreading misinformation about the Urban Renewal Act, accusing them of prematurely labelling it a plan to “evict Malays” even before the bill’s draft was released.

“They’re not ignorant of the truth - they’re afraid of facing reality. Because on the ground, they would meet Malay residents who genuinely hope for better housing - the very people PN imagines are being ‘evicted’. In truth, these are the ones most eager for their dilapidated homes to be renewed and rebuilt,” he said.

He stressed that the Act aims to improve living conditions for all Malaysians, regardless of race, especially those in unsafe, poorly maintained flats.

“We have clarified this publicly many times. Yet, PN refuses to acknowledge it and continues to stoke racial tensions. They have even threatened to organise mass rallies.

“This contributes nothing to policy discussion and only harms the very people in public housing who need the Urban Renewal Act the most,” Woo said.

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