KPKT READY TO RE-TABLE URBAN RENEWAL BILL - NGA

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) is ready to re-table the second reading of the Urban Renewal Bill (URB) 2025 at the Dewan Rakyat sitting next week.

However, Minister Nga Kor Ming said the move is subject to the decision of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his capacity as Leader of the House.

“KPKT is fully prepared to proceed with the second reading of the Bill, but this is subject to the decision of the Leader of the House to determine the most suitable slot within next week’s tight Dewan Rakyat schedule,” he told reporters after attending the URB Premier Dialogue here today.

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On Aug 28, the Bill was tabled for second reading at the Dewan Rakyat but was not debated before being deferred to the current sitting.

The deferment followed several concerns and objections raised, including by Members of Parliament from Barisan Nasional and PKR.

Earlier, in his keynote address at the dialogue, Nga said urban renewal should not be viewed solely from the angle of aesthetics or physical development, but as a moral responsibility to save lives and safeguard the basic safety of the people.

He said many members of the public still live in flats or houses built decades ago, with structures and building materials that may no longer comply with current safety standards.

“We do not need to wait for a major tragedy to realise how serious this situation is. For example, on March 7, 2025, at Kota Kinabalu City Hall, an old building in the Segama area collapsed when a concrete floor of a four-storey restaurant suddenly gave way, causing a worker to suffer a broken leg.

“Similarly, in the Jalan Padungan area, the Sarawak Public Works Department confirmed that three units of shophouses built between the 1920s and 1930s were unsafe for occupation after parts of their walls or facades collapsed on April 6, 2025,” he said.

Meanwhile, KPKT, in a statement, said today’s premier dialogue session was the largest engagement held so far, drawing more than 2,000 participants, including professionals, academicians, residents’ associations, non-governmental organisations, local authorities and local communities, to gather views and proposals from all stakeholders.

The ministry said the feedback received would form an essential foundation to ensure the Bill truly reflects the aspirations and needs of the people.

-- BERNAMA