KUALA LUMPUR: Development should not come at the expense of marginalising communities, it should safeguard their rights, says MCA.
Party president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said this in relation to the Urban Renewal Act (URA) which is set for second tabling today.
“I fully acknowledge the voices of residents who will be most affected by this Act. Development should not marginalise communities but instead empower them and safeguard their rights.
“As an MP, I will continue to raise these concerns in Parliament and work together with NGOs, civil society, and community groups to ensure urban renewal policies truly reflect the needs of the people.
“The government must strike a balance between development and social justice because at the heart of every policy are the people whose lives will be directly impacted,” he said in a post on social media yesterday.
Dr Wee said he also received a memorandum from the Kuala Lumpur Residents’ Action for Sustainable Development (KLRA+SD), representing 75 residents’ associations, management committees and joint management committees in Kuala Lumpur, regarding the URA.
He said the memorandum outlined serious concerns, including lack of genuine consultation with affected communities and risks of forced displacement and unfair treatment of property owners.
He said it also called for a moratorium on all redevelopment projects until transparent, fair, and inclusive processes are put in place.
Meanwhile, party deputy president Dr Mah Hang Soon said the second and third readings of the URA should be held back, and precedence given to the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA).
He said such a move would be more in line with the needs of the rakyat and ensure that tenant-landlord relationships are properly regulated before sweeping changes to urban redevelopment laws are introduced.
“Rushing the URA through before the RTA is in place seems unwise. The latter is essential for safeguarding both tenants and landlords, while the former will shape the structure and direction of our cities for generations,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Dr Mah pointed out that both PKR representatives and MCA leaders at national and local levels had repeatedly warned against lowering approval thresholds for redevelopment projects under the URA without proper safeguards.
He said that the government should pause deliberations on the URA as citizens’ interests come first before developers.
Separately, MCA vice-president Datuk Lawrence Low called for the rights of the minority at a joint press conference with non governmental organisations to oppose the Bill.
“Under the proposed URA, projects for buildings less than 30 years old need an 80% consent. Those older than 30 years need 75% while abandoned structures will need 51%. What about the minority? What are their rights? How will they be protected? Who will protect them?” asked Low, who is also Selangor MCA chairman.
He stressed there was no need to rush the URA until a more detailed and precise study is done on the Bill.
