Razak Mansion shows urban renewal can work

Renewed: The ageing Razak Mansion flats (left) were transformed into modern apartments with 100% of the residents of the old flats giving their consent for the project. — Photos: Filepics/The Star

OF late, the Urban Renewal Bill, recently tabled in Parliament, has dominated headlines. Amid the noise, we need to separate valid concerns from misplaced fears. As Chairperson of the Bukit Bintang Parliamentary Zone Residents’ Representative Council, Kuala Lumpur, I have some experience in managing the delicate balance between community needs and developmental goals.

Public discussion of the Bill over the past weeks has been dominated by two concerns. The first relates to consent thresholds, with critics arguing that some of the requirements are still too low and risk sidelining minority owners. Clearly, there is room for improvement. The second concern is the fear of displacement. Many residents worry about being forced out of their homes without proper compensation or guarantees of equal or better housing.

These concerns are understandable. Yet they can be addressed by looking at a proven case of urban renewal: the redevelopment of Razak Mansion in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.

In 2017, 658 residents of the old Razak Mansion flats received the keys to their brand new 74sq m homes. Each new unit came with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a parking lot, and, importantly, strata titles which the old flats did not have. The contrast between the old units – which ranged from 37sq m to 47sq m, with limited facilities – and the new ones was striking. For residents, the difference was indeed like night and day.

What made Razak Mansion a success story were two critical factors. First, the developer completed the replacement units before asking residents to move. This gave assurance that families would not be left in limbo. Second, there was trusted facilitation on the ground to assure residents that the deal was above board. As a result, the project achieved 100% consent. This shows that thresholds, even if set high, can be reached when trust and transparency are present.

The Urban Renewal Bill 2025 already incorporates safeguards that echo these lessons. The “no less favourable” principle requires that residents be given units of equal or higher value, size, and quality. Mediation committees will be established at both federal and state levels to resolve disputes fairly and transparently. These measures show that the Housing and Local Government Ministry has listened to feedback through more than 100 engagement sessions with stakeholders, community leaders, and civil society groups. Such an inclusive approach deserves recognition.

The Razak Mansion experience demonstrates that urban renewal can be a win-win solution. Families moved into bigger and better homes, property values rose significantly, and the community gained modern facilities such as a surau, an airconditioned hall, and shops. It was not just redevelopment, it was renewal in the fullest sense of the word.

If such success can be replicated nationwide, our older neighbourhoods can enjoy a new lease of life while preserving community ties.

Despite the objections, the Housing and Local Government Ministry has taken an important step in the right direction by bringing the Urban Renewal Bill to Parliament. With the right safeguards and lessons from cases such as Razak Mansion, urban renewal can transform fear into confidence and uncertainty into opportunity.

While there is room for improvement, I urge all parties to view this Bill not as a threat but as a chance to give dignity back to communities living in ageing and unsafe housing.

BEN FONG KOK SENG

Chairperson

Bukit Bintang Parliamentary Zone Residents’ Representative Council

Kuala Lumpur