PETALING JAYA: Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat today voiced support for the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA), saying it is crucial to address the struggles of urban poor communities living in deteriorating housing.
In a Facebook post, today. Chua said his upbringing in a low-cost housing area in Kuala Lumpur gave him direct experience of poor maintenance, frequent floods, and unsafe environments faced by B40 group.
“Right now, redevelopment projects require 100% approval from homeowners, which is almost impossible.
Imagine 100 units, 99 agree, and just one disagrees, the whole project collapses. Worse still, that one owner often demands unreasonable compensation,” he wrote.
He noted that countries with urban renewal laws operate on majority consent rather than unanimity, making redevelopment more feasible.
The URA proposal sets a consent threshold of 75% to 80%, which he described as more realistic.
Chua also highlighted the wider context, pointing out that about 75% of Malaysians live in cities, with 40% to 50% of them considered urban poor.
He argued that without a renewal framework, many low-cost residents would continue to miss out on redevelopment opportunities.
“If cities continue to sprawl outward, it won’t be sustainable. The government would have to spend more on roads, drainage, utilities, and public transport. Costs are high but benefits remain low,” he said, adding that many old leasehold properties are expiring, leaving owners unable to afford renewal fees.
Chua stressed that the URA could enable owners to negotiate fair returns with developers while ensuring towns evolve with modern needs.
“This is not a racial issue; this is about urban development and urban poverty,” he said.
The Urban Renewal Bill 2025 was tabled for its first reading in Parliament on August 21 by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
The second reading, originally slated for August 27, has since been rescheduled to the sittings in October following intense debate over its provisions.
