Amirudin (centre) with recipients at the ‘Skim Ceria’ aid presentation ceremony. With him are Borhan (eighth from left) and LPHS executive director Datuk Dr Juhari Ahmad (seventh from left). — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
Selangor government is drawing up plans to redevelop old apartments and flats built in the 1970s and 1980s in a move to modernise high-density housing and prevent urban decay.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the state would begin the urban renewal phase in 2027, starting with pilot projects in areas identified by Selangor Housing and Property Board (LPHS).
“Some of these buildings are over 50 years old, no longer safe and impractical to maintain,” he said.
“We are looking at ways to redevelop ageing apartments with a formula that gives fair outcomes to both residents and developers.
“Any proposed redevelopment will have to undergo detailed studies before project implementation.
“We don’t want to see urban decay in our cities. As Selangor grows, we must also modernise older neighbourhoods,” he said at the “Skim Ceria” 2025 programme launch in Shah Alam.
Amirudin said the state had carried out three main housing programmes through LPHS – resolving strata title issues, upgrading basic infrastructure through “Skim Ceria” and promoting social development through “Rewang Komuniti”.
More than RM3.5mil has been approved this year for nine projects under “Skim Ceria” 2025, covering repainting works, lift repairs and other upgrades.
“The total housing maintenance budget is about RM4.5mil this year, with funds managed by LPHS,” said Amirudin.
“The state allocates between RM3mil and RM4mil every year for refurbishments under this scheme and plans to increase it to RM5mil next year to benefit more apartments.
“The initiative aims to improve the safety and comfort of residents, particularly those under joint management bodies (JMBs) that struggle with maintenance funds.”
He said many older apartments still lacked proper strata ownership, affecting the state’s ability to collect parcel rent and maintain accurate property data.
“Without strata titles, parcel rent cannot be collected effectively,” said Amirudin, adding that resolving unit ownership was a crucial step in property management.
He said initiatives such as “Rewang Komuniti” and community libraries had benefited flat dwellers in Kampung Baru Hicom, Shah Alam and Mentari Court, Petaling Jaya.
Meanwhile, Selangor housing and culture committee chairman Datuk Borhan Aman Shah said the state focused on low-cost apartments because most of their JMBs struggled to collect maintenance fees.
“Most of these buildings are over 20 years old, with faulty lifts, rusting water tanks and cracked roofs that need waterproofing.
“Some residents also requested rewiring because of fire risks.
“We used to encourage them to insure these buildings, but insurers often reject policies once the structures exceed 20 years.”
While decades-old flats needed redevelopment, Borhan said such a move required financially strong developers.
“We have identified a few areas, such as Pandan Jaya in Ampang, where redevelopment could be done if the Urban Renewal Bill is approved.
“The act would give the government power to coordinate such projects.
“Without it, residents have to deal directly with developers, and projects risk being abandoned,” said Borhan.
He stressed that the plan was about establishing a clear, legal framework for control and accountability in redevelopment, and that it was not related to the selling of assets or the removal of bumiputra rights.
