‘Urban renewal not a straightforward issue'

The Star

12-05-2025

ON paper, the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) looks like a solid plan. It gives the government a structured way to upgrade old flats, improve infrastructure and renew the city.
But here are the points to consider: Not every old building is falling apart, and not every community is ready or willing to be uprooted.
'Some places are still in decent condition even though they are over 30 or 40 years old,' said Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.
'The URA may be right for buildings that really need it, but it can't be applied blindly across the board.
'If we are not careful, it could cause more problems than it solves,' she said.
Kok agreed that places like Desa Bakti Flats in Selayang, which fall under Batu parliamentary area, clearly needed urgent attention.
Zahir says redevelopment cannot just be about buildings. 'They are in bad shape and long overdue for redevelopment,' she said.
Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan said the age of a property wasn't always the issue.
'Desa Bakti is only 33 years old but is in poor condition because of bad maintenance and poor fee collection,' he said.
'If you fix the upkeep issues, the place is still liveable. But if nothing changes, even a redeveloped block will end up the same way,' he pointed out.
Zahir also questioned what would happen after redevelopment.
'At Residensi Kerinchi in Bangsar South, residents went from 450sq ft flats to bigger units,' he said.
'That's great, but now they are stuck with higher maintenance fees. Many of them earn the same or even less than before.
'Can they keep up with the cost?' he asked.
Kok, Zahir and other MPs joined Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming recently on an 'Urban Renewal Expedition' (XPDC PSB), organised to give lawmakers a better sense of what the URA entailed.
They visited four sites: two redevelopment projects – Desa Bakti in Selayang and Kuchai Jaya Flats in Taman Kuchai Jaya – and two completed projects, namely 1Razak Mansion in Salak South and Residensi Kerinchi in Bangsar South.
Desa Bakti flats which Zahir notes are a mere 33 years old but in bad shape due to poor maintenance. — Photos: MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI and YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
Both 1Razak Mansion and Residensi Kerinchi are often showcased as successful examples of what urban renewal can achieve.
The site visit was to highlight the realities of ageing housing, collect feedback and explain the goals of the URA which is expected to be tabled in Parliament in July.
Zahir said that while 1Razak Mansion wasn't a high-density project on its own, it was surrounded by developments like Razak City Residences, adding nearly 6,000 units to the area.
It is the same story at Residensi Kerinchi, where new developments have led to much higher plot ratios in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Zahir said, 'More homes mean more people, but where are the schools, clinics, police stations or parks to cater to the increase?
'In Wangsa Maju alone, four big developments were approved last year within a 1.4km radius – one with 1,587 units, another with 850 and one with over 900 units.
'That is nearly 4,000 new units, but we haven't built even one school or government clinic there.
'The police headquarters for Wangsa Maju isn't even in the area; it is in Pudu.'
This is why, he said, redevelopment cannot just be about buildings.
Nga (front row, third from right) assessing conditions at Desa Bakti Flats during the site visit.
'You need to look at the full picture. A neighbourhood needs more than just new homes – it needs proper support facilities too,' he stressed.
Kok echoed this concern and pointed to Kuchai Jaya Flats, one of the sites visited.
'It is a four-storey flat in the middle of a 50-year-old neighbourhood with narrow roads and outdated infrastructure.
'Right next to it is a Buddhist temple, and just down the road is the upcoming Kuchai Sentral project, which will add over 1,000 residential units.
'Less than a kilometre away another project, Skyline Kuchai, will add 1,800 more,' she noted.
Kok said the area was already choking.
'Traffic in Kuchai Lama is bad even outside peak hours.
'There is no room to widen the roads or upgrade utilities.
'I am not against redevelopment, but you have to consider location.
'Forcing it in areas like this will only create more problems,' she said.
Han says there are plenty of flats that really do need upgrading. Public policy advisor Han Jun Siew, from Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association (KLRA+SD), shared a similar view.
'There are plenty of flats – government and private – that are in bad shape and really do need upgrading,' he said.
'But you cannot use a one-size-fits-all approach. Not every flat is falling apart,' he added.
Senator Isaiah Jacob, who also joined the visit, raised another point: accessibility for persons with disabilities (OKU).
'I think the URA is a good step forward, but it must be inclusive if it is going to work,' he said.
Jacob said that while government housing sometimes allocated ground floor units for OKU residents, private developers often didn't.
'We need to ensure OKU get units on the ground, first or second floors.
'We also need better facilities like ramps, wider corridors, and accessible toilets.
'The Minister (Nga) has promised to look into this,' he added.
On the ground, residents shared a mixed bag of concerns.
Pensioner Rahim Hassan, 58, who has lived at Desa Bakti for over 25 years, said the flats were falling apart.
'The lift hasn't worked in months.
'We have had to carry elderly folks and sick neighbours down the stairs. It is exhausting,' he said.
'We are not asking for a swimming pool, just the basics.
'Fix what is broken,' said Rahim.
A banner for an exhibition on regeneration sits outside 1Razak Mansion, which is showcased as an urban renewal success story.
Noraini Ahmad, 54, another long-time resident, said poor maintenance stemmed from poor fee collection as well as the fact that tenants were mostly foreigners.
'People complain about broken lights and dirty corridors, but many don't pay their monthly fees,' she said.
'If there is no money, how can management do anything? Everyone needs to play their part,' she said.
In Happy Garden, G. Shamala, a long-time resident of Desa Gembira condominium, said the URA's intention might be good but it shouldn't mean tearing down every old building.
'Not all ageing condominiums are unsafe. Some just look worn down because of poor management,' she said.
'Take my condo for example – it hasn't been painted in over 15 years. It looks tired, yes, but the structure is fine. The real problem is bad planning and lack of prudent financial management.'
Shamala worries that URA may wrongly target places like hers just because they look old.
'What we really need is better management, not demolition.
Kuchai Jaya Flats will soon see additional residential units in the vicinity.
'If the government is serious about improving urban living, they should help existing buildings fix things – offer grants, give technical advice, push for transparent accounts.
'Redevelopment should be the last option, not the first,' she stressed.
Nga, during the site visit, said the Bill had undergone an unprecedented 79 rounds of stakeholder engagement.
'We have consulted all key stakeholders – from homebuyers' and developers' associations to academics, non-governmental organisations and the Parliamentary Special Select Committee.
'Their input has been thoroughly considered and incorporated into the Bill,' he said.
The Housing ministry has identified 139 sites in Kuala Lumpur with redevelopment potential, including 91 residential strata properties.
Under the proposed URA, consent from 80% of owners is required for strata properties under 30 years, and 75% for those older than 30 years.