Loke Denies Ura A Dap Agenda

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DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has denied accusations that the controversial Urban Renewal Bill was an “agenda” brought by the party, emphasising that the proposed legislation had received the cabinet’s approval.
Commenting on the matter when met by reporters at the sidelines of an event in Sikamat, Seremban, today, Loke claimed that the bill has been “politicised” by certain quarters.
“I find it strange. Why say (the bill) is DAP’s agenda? This is the Madani government’s agenda. Any bill brought by a minister is not the agenda of their party, as it has already gone through the cabinet.
“If a bill is brought by a minister from Umno, do we then say it is only that party’s agenda? No. Once a bill is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, it represents the collective decision of the government,” the transport minister and Seremban MP said.
ADSThe bill, which seeks to form the Urban Renewal Act (URA), was previously tabled for its first and second reading in the Dewan Rakyat by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, who is also the Perak DAP chairperson.
BN deputy chairperson Mohamad Hasan previously said the coalition’s MPs want the bill, which seeks to redevelop ageing and deteriorating urban areas without having to get 100 percent approval from owners, to be postponed and reviewed. 
Several PKR lawmakers had also expressed concerns over the bill’s consent threshold for urban renewal, while the opposition, civil society groups, and Kuala Lumpur residents had staged a protest outside Parliament to object to the URA. 
Debates and voting for the bill have been postponed to the next Dewan Rakyat meeting in October, with Nga saying his ministry would introduce some improvements to the proposed URA.
‘URA’s objective is to uplift poor Malaysians’
Urging critics of the bill not to “point fingers” at DAP, Loke stressed that the government’s agenda is to uphold Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s aspirations on redevelopment measures aimed at bettering the living conditions of poor Malaysians.
“What has been clearly stated is that the principle (of the URA) is to help redevelop cities, especially big cities like Kuala Lumpur, where there are old, dilapidated flats and housing areas. 
“This bill will make it easier for the private sector to carry out redevelopment, but the bill requires that the rights of residents and owners be guaranteed. The bill guarantees that homeowners’ rights are protected so that the value of their homes is preserved,” Loke said. 
He also assured that the bill will protect the rights of homeowners who do not agree with the proposed redevelopment plans.
Yesterday, Umno Veterans Club secretary Mustapha Yaakub said BN’s push for the postponement of the bill is proof that it is not a puppet for DAP. 
Mustapha also urged for a review of the bill to be done thoroughly so there will be “no hidden agenda that can be questioned by the rakyat, especially the urban Malays”. - Mkini

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