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Free Malaysia Today
10-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
DBKL to form task force ahead of Urban Renewal Act
Kuala Lumpur mayor Maimunah Sharif said DBKL will work with professionals to assist owners and developers who are interested in taking up redevelopment work under the Urban Renewal Act. PETALING JAYA : Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will set up a task force to guide stakeholders on urban redevelopment once the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) comes into effect, says Kuala Lumpur mayor Maimunah Sharif. She said the task force would study the proposed law and help DBKL support property owners involved in redevelopment projects, The Edge reported. 'This is to ensure DBKL is well prepared to assist property owners with matters regarding urban redevelopment,' she said during a forum organised by the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) Institute. 'We are here to facilitate … DBKL will also work with professionals to assist owners and developers who are interested in taking up the redevelopment work.' Maimunah stressed that while DBKL would play a supporting role, the initiative for redevelopment must come from property owners themselves. 'Urban development should be an owner-led initiative. Developers should be the last to step in,' she said. The proposed URA, spearheaded by the housing and local government ministry, aims to replace outdated legislation governing the redevelopment of ageing and dilapidated areas. However, the URA has sparked concern among civil society groups and opposition parties who argue that it could displace lower-income residents unable to afford redeveloped housing. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said the Act will not force property owners to give up their homes or change the ethnic makeup of neighbourhoods.
The Star
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Rehda: Urban renewal needed to safeguard community well-being
KUALA LUMPUR: Urban renewal must be prioritised to protect public health and ensure the safety of communities, as many ageing strata properties are showing signs of severe deterioration, according to the Malaysian Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) Institute. It said the issue was a key focus of the recent International Strata Symposium, held on April 8 and 9, in conjunction with Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean. The event brought together experts from Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss legal reforms and redevelopment strategies for ageing strata developments. Rehda Institute warned that inaction on urban renewal could accelerate property value decline and increase social and economic costs. 'Delaying intervention in areas experiencing urban decay risks worsening problems such as crime, economic stagnation, inequality and further devaluation of properties,' it said, Bernama reported. The institute highlighted early warning signs in parts of Kuala Lumpur, especially in ageing flats suffering from poor maintenance and a lack of reinvestment. It also cautioned that without timely intervention, these neighbourhoods could devolve into urban slums and added that strategic, policy-led reforms are critical to preventing long-term social fragmentation and avoiding costly repairs in the future. Regarding land rights concerns, Rehda Institute said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and policymakers have pledged legal protections for individual property ownership. 'These legal safeguards will support transparent, community-driven urban renewal and reinforce property rights,' it said.
