JUNE 17 — At the Minister’s Question Time on February 25, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat that urban renewal is not a new initiative under the government, as efforts had been in place since 2012 with the formulation of the Urban Renewal Guidelines.
Anwar highlighted that initial discussions to draft a specific urban renewal act began in 2013, focusing on revitalising development in Kuala Lumpur. The drafting process was later announced in 2015.
In 2020, former Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa spearheaded the Urban Renewal Programme under Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), targeting flats over 40 years old.
Further steps were taken in 2021 when then Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin initiated the drafting of the Urban Renewal Bill (URB). The effort continued under her successor, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who reaffirmed the same principles in March 2022.
Former Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, in September 2022, stated that DBKL had identified 30 areas for renewal.
Since 2012, 74 engagement sessions have been held, and we have taken into account the problems faced by the people.
Having mentioned Zuraida, let’s read what AI Overview says about the former minister:
“Zuraida was a key figure in advocating for urban redevelopment policies, particularly the redevelopment of public housing. She proposed a policy to redevelop public housing that was 30 years or older to make way for new homes, aiming to provide larger living spaces with better facilities for residents, especially those in the B40 community.
“Zuraida’s vision included the demolition of old public housing blocks (like those in the People’s Housing Project or PPR) and their replacement with new structures offering more space and amenities. She highlighted the high costs associated with maintaining aging public housing and the potential benefits of redevelopment for residents.
“Her ministry also played a role in drafting the Urban Renewal Bill, which aimed to provide a legal framework for urban redevelopment in Malaysia, focusing on revitalizing aging urban areas and improving access to affordable housing.”
On the international front, Zuraida was one of the speakers at the 2nd international Implementing the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Congress in November 2018, which brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, academia and the business community to explore the theme Affordable Living in Sustainable Cities: Achieving the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda
She was also a speaker at the virtual Urban Economic Forum 2021 in which Housing and Urban Recovery is one of the key themes.
So, it beats me. Why is Anwar being vilified for urban renewal?
Why has PAS Youth’s planned protest against the Urban Renewal Act (URA) turned into one calling for the prime minister’s resignation (“Turun Anwar”)?
