Ex-housing minister moots urban renewal agency under PM's Dept

Former housing and local government minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican has proposed the establishment of a special agency to oversee urban renewal efforts, to be placed directly under the prime minister’s purview.

The Umno vice-president said such a structure is necessary to ensure the effective and coordinated implementation of the Urban Renewal Act (URA), which is currently in the bill stage.

“In Singapore, new developments are managed by the Housing Development Board (HDB), while redevelopment is handled by a special agency, the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

“So I suggest that if we are drafting this bill, it should be placed under a single agency, directly under the prime minister,” he said at the Urban Renewal Act Convention held at the World Trade Centre (WTC) in Kuala Lumpur today.

The former Kepala Batas MP said a similar model could be applied in Malaysia, with a new agency parked under the Prime Minister’s Department to strengthen its mandate.

Reezal acknowledged concerns that the proposed law might appear complex and burdensome, but argued it is needed as a safeguard for the people, particularly younger generations.

“Alhamdulillah, we have seven ministers who will act as the bulwark in defending our people. This land belongs to our people, and it must be protected,” he said, ostensibly referring to Umno having seven ministers in the current cabinet.

Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Johari Abdul Ghani, who heads the party’s special task force on the URA, said Reezal’s idea was one of many suggestions that would be forwarded to the government for consideration.

“The proposal will be taken into account, but it’s not absolute. If there’s no existing body that can implement it, then we will consider a new agency,” Johari told a press conference after the convention.

The convention brought together former ministers, urban planners, politicians, and civil society representatives to examine the framework and implications of the URA.

Second reading looms amid pushback

The bill is scheduled for its second reading in Parliament next week, though calls to delay it have been mounting, including from within BN.

BN deputy chairperson Mohamad Hasan previously said the second reading should be postponed to allow for more comprehensive stakeholder engagement.

Anwar has defended the bill as necessary to provide a systematic and inclusive mechanism for redeveloping ageing housing areas.

However, concerns remain over the protection of original owners’ rights, compensation mechanisms, and risks of forced evictions should the law be passed without thorough safeguards.

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