PKR MPs want Urban Renewal Bill debate postponed, PN lauds move

Summary

• Six PKR lawmakers, led by Wong Chen and Rodziah Ismail, call for the Urban Renewal Bill’s second reading to be postponed for further consultation

• Perikatan Nasional MPs laud the move, with opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin shaking Wong’s hand, showing rare cross-party agreement.

• PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan says the bill contradicts the Land Acquisition Act, Federal Constitution, and Strata Title Act.

A rare moment of bipartisan support was seen today during a PKR MPs’ press conference calling for the postponement of the Urban Renewal Bill's second reading to the next Dewan Rakyat sitting.

Perikatan Nasional MPs lauded the move, cheering and clapping when the PKR MPs, led by Wong Chen (Subang) and Rodziah Ismail (Ampang), made the statements.

Wong (above, centre) had raised concerns over the consent threshold for urban renewal, calling it unacceptable and noting that it is low compared to other countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore.

"We should not be rushing to lower this threshold.

“In fact, we strongly believe that the appropriate consent threshold should be set higher - 85 percent for buildings older than 30 years and 90 percent for buildings below 30 years, to safeguard the rights of tenants in social housing, which means the underprivileged group," he said.

Under the proposed bill, the Housing and Local Government Ministry has recommended a tiered consent threshold based on the condition and age of the building: 75 percent for buildings over 30 years old, 80 percent for those under 30 years, and 51 percent for buildings classified as dilapidated or unsafe for occupancy.

Wong said the social housing policies the Madani government had inherited were "very deeply flawed", adding that the bill in its existing state does not improve such flaws.

"Current owners of low-cost houses tend to be middle-income and not rich people, not the underprivileged.

"For instance, in Subang, the Subang Office conducted a survey. We found that 73 percent of occupants in low-cost units are tenants - they are not owners.

"So the big majority of owners of low-cost flats are now middle-class and upper-income groups," he said.

He said these owners, who do not occupy these low-cost flats, are more likely to provide their consent to redevelopment.

"Of course, the rich people want to sell and redevelop. They'll get more money," he added.

‘We should work together’

Wong further urged the government to discuss the bill with the Parliamentary Select Committees on Infrastructure, Transportation and Communications, as well as Women, Children and Community Development.

He also called on the Housing and Local Government Ministry to conduct a social impact study focusing on social housing.

The report of the study must be presented to Parliament, he added.

Aside from Wong and Rodziah, the other PKR MPs were Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju), Syed Ibrahim (Ledang), Tan Kar Hing (Gopeng), and Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau).

Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung also signed the statement but was not present.

While Wong was leaving the press conference area, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin was seen shaking his hand and telling him, "We should work together."

Wong's response was not heard.

Immediately afterwards, PN MPs held a separate press conference, with PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan saying that the Urban Renewal Bill contradicts existing laws.

He cited the Land Acquisition Act 1960 as an example, saying that this legislation places the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the state authority in the Federal Territories.

However, he said the bill instead places authority in the same places in the hands of the minister in charge of local governance.

This was not the only legislation it contradicts, he said, going on to name the Federal Constitution and the Strata Title Act 1985.

"And there are more. These are the basis for why we are trying to prevent this bill from being presented for debates in the second reading," he said.

First reading

Earlier, after the first reading of the bill in the Dewan Rakyat, Takiyuddin raised Standing Order 54, which calls for a bill to be committed to the respective PSSC before its second reading.

He read a letter from the PSSC on Infrastructure, Transportation, and Communications chairperson Yusuf Abd Wahab addressed to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.

According to Takiyuddin, Yusuf had requested that the bill's second reading be delayed.

Nga previously announced that the second and third readings of the bill had been scheduled for Aug 27, thus marking a new direction in ensuring that urban development in Malaysia remains sustainable, advanced, prosperous, and inclusive.

He said a total of 101 engagement sessions were held with various stakeholders, including two with the PSSC in drafting the bill.

Reporting by Zarrah Morden, Hariz Mohd, Shakira Buang

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