KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) is open to and welcomes constructive suggestions and feedback to improve the bill for the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA).
Its minister, Nga Kor Ming, said every sound recommendation should be taken into consideration for the benefit of all parties, especially in safeguarding and protecting the rights and interests of original homeowners under the bill.
“This is a government that listens and welcomes constructive opinion. But we do not want parties taking advantage of the situation for political gain.
“That’s very unwelcoming. We want constructive politics, not destructive politics.
“If there are good views on the URA Bill, we welcome them without issue,” he told reporters after officiating the 16th International Conference on World Class Sustainable Cities 2025 (WCSC) here today.
The debate on the URA bill in the Dewan Rakyat was postponed to the next sitting. According to the parliamentary calendar, the third meeting of the 15th Parliament’s fourth session is scheduled from Oct 6 Dec 4.
Nga also said the MADANI Government remains committed to ensuring that upcoming urban renewal projects involving seven national heritage landmarks will not disregard heritage values.
“This year, the government has spent RM700 million to revitalise seven national icons, including Carcosa Seri Negara, the Textile Museum, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Old Kuala Lumpur Post Office.
“These seven iconic landmarks will be given a new lease of life in time for Visit Malaysia Year 2026. This is the best testimony that even as we plan development, we do not forget our history, heritage, culture and national identity,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his speech, Nga said Malaysia, as the President of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, stands ready to learn, share and collaborate with global peers, not only to strengthen ASEAN’s position as a hub of sustainable urban innovation but also to help shape a smarter and more sustainable world together.
“We aim to integrate the New Urban Agenda (NUA) into the processes of the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to strengthen the role of cities and regions.
“The NUA offers a comprehensive and legitimate framework to connect global climate ambitions with local transformation, by enhancing adaptation in local services and mobilising finance at the local level to support the implementation of transformative projects,” he said.
On WCSC 2025, themed ‘Resilient Cities, Living Heritage’, Nga said the theme is not only about strengthening infrastructure but preserving the nation’s heritage, identity and community values.
“Let this conference be a gentle call to action for all of us for policymakers to weave resilience and heritage into every urban policy, for industry to keep sustainability and cultural identity at the heart of every project and for our communities to continue nurturing heritage as the living soul of our cities,” he added.
WCSC 2025 focuses on building sustainable and thriving cities by integrating resilience and preserving cultural heritage, featuring keynote sessions, panel discussions as well as opportunities for networking and collaboration among urban visionaries and city leaders. - Bernama
