Seven PKR MPs have called for the second reading of the Urban Renewal Bill in the Dewan Rakyat to be postponed due to concerns over the consent threshold under the proposed law.
Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail led the MPs in calling for the bill to be reviewed and only tabled when the Dewan Rakyat convenes in October, Berita Harian reported.
She expressed fears that the bill in its current form would be a “major political mistake”, affecting support for the unity government among urban voters residing in public housing.
“We support the principles of this bill but with a fairer consent threshold for the redevelopment of old homes,” she said, after the bill was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Rodziah had read out a statement, co-signed by Subang MP Wong Chen, Gopeng MP Tan Kar Hing, Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan, Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Balik Pulau MP Bakhtiar Wan Chik and Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung.
Rodziah said the bill should not be modelled after the likes of Hong Kong and Singapore as Malaysia had far more land at its disposal, necessitating a higher consent threshold of 85-90% to be set.
“This is to protect the rights of homeowners and also those renting public housing.
“We should not support this 75% threshold,” she added.
The bill’s second and third readings are scheduled for next Wednesday.
The proposed Urban Renewal Act seeks to replace outdated legislation and regulations governing the redevelopment of dilapidated urban areas.
However, critics have pointed to the lowered consent threshold, saying it may undermine the rights of residents in the minority by forcing them to comply with the majority of residents who wish to have their areas redeveloped.
The government, on the other hand, has repeatedly said that residents’ rights would remain safeguarded through fair compensation and protective measures.
