KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Six PKR MPs today urged that the second reading of the Urban Renewal Bill be postponed to the next Dewan Rakyat sitting, a call that unexpectedly drew support from Perikatan Nasional MPs such as Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
Malaysiakini cited Subang MP Wong Chen raising concerns over the Bill’s proposed consent threshold for urban renewal, saying it was unacceptable compared to benchmarks in Hong Kong and Singapore.
“We should not be rushing to lower this threshold,” he was quoted saying.
“In fact, we strongly believe that the appropriate consent threshold should be set higher — 85 pe rcent for buildings older than 30 years and 90 per cent for buildings below 30 years, to safeguard the rights of tenants in social housing, which means the underprivileged group.”
Wong highlighted how most owners of low-cost units are middle-class rather than underprivileged, citing a Subang survey which found 73 per cent of occupants were tenants.
“Of course, the rich people want to sell and redevelop. They’ll get more money,” he said, noting that owners who do not live in the flats are more likely to provide consent.
Wong urged the government to consult the Parliamentary Select Committees on Infrastructure, Transportation and Communications, as well as Women, Children and Community Development, and to conduct a social impact study on housing.
The press conference was also attended by Rodziah Ismail (Ampang), Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju), Syed Ibrahim (Kerdau), Tan Kar Hing (Gopeng) and Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau), while Lee Chean Chung (Petaling Jaya) signed the joint statement but was absent.
Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin was later seen shaking Wong’s hand and saying, “We should work together,” before PN MPs held a separate press conference.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the bill contradicts laws such as the Land Acquisition Act 1960, which places the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the state authority in the Federal Territories, rather than the minister in charge of local governance.
He added that the Federal Constitution and the Strata Title Act 1985 were also contradicted, saying: “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.”
The Dewan Rakyat is hearing the first reading the Bill today.
