KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 24): Umno has expressed support for the Cabinet’s decision to withdraw the Urban Renewal Bill from parliamentary proceedings, saying the move allows for further improvements to be made before the legislation is reconsidered.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party remains supportive of urban redevelopment initiatives but emphasised that the proposed law requires refinement to ensure it is balanced and comprehensive.
He noted that Umno had submitted several recommendations through its Special Committee on the Urban Renewal Bill, which is chaired by the party’s vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. According to Asyraf, these proposals should be fully incorporated before the bill is re-tabled.
Umno’s position is that any revised version of the legislation should only return to Parliament once all suggested improvements have been carefully reviewed and addressed. The party believes this approach will help ensure that urban renewal policies are implemented fairly and responsibly.
As part of its engagement process, the Umno-led committee conducted multiple consultation sessions, including the Urban Renewal Convention held on Oct 3 last year. During the convention, 14 key recommendations were endorsed and subsequently submitted to the government for consideration.
The eventual outcome of the revised bill is expected to have meaningful implications for redevelopment projects across mature urban areas, including commercial property in KL, office space in Bukit Jalil, and regeneration initiatives in established townships such as Subang and Puchong. It may also influence future planning decisions involving land assembly and redevelopment of older assets near industrial land in Selangor.
For developers, investors and landowners, the review process is seen as an opportunity to strike a clearer balance between redevelopment objectives and stakeholder protection, helping to shape sustainable urban growth across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
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