Bill On Urban Renewal To Be Tabled In Parliament By July

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PLANMalaysia director-general Alias Rameli said the final draft of the Urban Renewal Bill has been sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and received positive feedback. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The Urban Renewal Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament by June or July, following extensive legal reviews and stakeholder engagements since last December.

Alias Rameli, director-general of the town and country planning department (PLANMalaysia), said the final draft has been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and has received positive feedback.
“We have conducted 74 engagement sessions nationwide involving professional bodies, ministries, developers, joint management bodies, management corporations, the public, universities, as well as state governments and local authorities,” Bernama quoted him as saying.
Once final discussions with the AGC have concluded, Alias said the bill will be presented to the Cabinet around April or May.
“Upon approval, we will consult with state governments through the National Council for Local Government before bringing it to Parliament,” he said.
Alias dismissed concerns about the department of the director-general of lands and mines (JKPTG) not endorsing the bill, saying that JKPTG’s role is separate and that urban redevelopment falls under PLANMalaysia and the local authorities.
He added that discussions with JKPTG regarding the Strata Titles Act 1985 have produced an encouraging outcome in support of the bill.
On potential increases in maintenance fees for redevelopment projects, he said rates may rise based on market conditions.

“In the past, public housing maintenance fees have been as low as RM40 or RM50 per month.
“However, in urban redevelopment projects, these fees will be determined based on market rates and floor space, potentially ranging from RM150 to RM200 per month,” he said.
For the first two years, he said these costs may be covered under development expenses, but after that period, owners will need to pay the appropriate fees.
“The government cannot continuously subsidise maintenance fees as it would not be financially sustainable in the long run,” he said.
However, Alias gave an assurance that the government remained committed to supporting strata housing communities through various maintenance initiatives under the Malaysia Madani framework. - FMT

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