Residents of the Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park flats are urging the government to intervene and stop what they claim is harassment by a developer pushing for the area’s redevelopment under the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA).
Nasrun Ismail, a member of the residents’ action committee, claimed that the developer was bypassing the flats’ management corporation and approaching residents directly for consent without proper explanation, in breach of the Strata Management Act 2013.
“They sent us letters and asked whether we agree or not. Then, they set a date for us to reply,” he told reporters after a public briefing at the flats today.
FMT is withholding the name of the developer pending a response.
Nasrun alleged that some residents were offered RM100 or RM200 to support the redevelopment, which he described as a form of bribery. He said some visits took place at night, causing concern among the residents.
“We will request our management corporation to take any necessary action, including lodging a police report and obtaining a court order, as the developer has violated the Strata Management Act,” he said.
He also urged the government to prioritise rejuvenation over redevelopment, especially for low-cost and heritage housing, warning that a shift to condominium living would impose higher maintenance fees, sinking funds, and other hidden costs on residents.
Spearheaded by the housing and local government ministry, the URA seeks to lower the threshold of strata owner consent to 80% for buildings under 30 years old, 75% for those over 30 years old, and 51% for abandoned properties.
The bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament this month.
The Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park flats consist of five blocks, with a total of 480 housing units and 20 shoplots. The flats’ leasehold tenure is expected to expire in 2081.
