From Jeffri Saling
As Parliament prepares to debate and vote on the Urban Renewal Act, I believe it is important to go beyond the political noise and consider how the bill benefits ordinary residents.
Indeed, I would urge politicians not to let petty squabbles get in the way of progress.
Many of our country’s earliest high-rise flats, such as the San Peng flats in Pudu, Sri Johor in Cheras or Sri Perlis in Datuk Keramat are still home to thousands of families.
Built in the ’70s and ’80s, they once symbolised urban progress. But today, they suffer from common problems, such as leaky pipes, non-functional lifts, lack of parking, and fire hazards.
These properties are clearly showing their age, wilting under the wear and tear of time. For residents, daily life is a struggle.
The Urban Renewal Act offers a way forward. We get a structured framework for redevelopment, with safeguards for residents.
Homeowners must receive units of equal or better value. For someone who used to live in a two-room unit measuring about 400-plus sq ft, this is quite an upgrade as even affordable Rumawip units are about 800 to 900 sq ft.
Meanwhile, authorities gain stronger powers to intervene in stalled and abandoned projects, and there are still hundreds of them littered around the Klang Valley alone.
This reduces the risk of exploitation by irresponsible developers, and gives the residents confidence that their property rights will be respected.
Urban renewal does not mean uprooting long-standing communities that grew up around these flats. Done right, it will allow residents to return to safer and more dignified units in the same area, with better infrastructure, green spaces and facilities that match today’s needs.
Instead of fearing change, we should view this Act as an opportunity to uplift not just our capital city, but other parts of urban Malaysia that urgently need renewal, and give their residents the homes they deserve.
Jeffri Saling is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
