KUALA LUMPUR – The Urban Renewal Bill (URA) should not be passed hastily, and the events that unfolded in Kampung Sungai Baru must serve as a lesson.
Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said there are many issues that need thorough consideration, particularly land acquisition for redevelopment, which must take into account the credibility and background of developers as well as land valuation.
He stressed that this differs from land acquisition for infrastructure projects such as the LRT or road construction.
“When we talk about the URA, it cannot be rushed. I have told Nga Kor Ming (Local Government Development Minister) that we need to be patient and examine many cases. Let’s resolve Kampung Sungai Baru first.
“Taking people’s homes to redevelop involves many rules, and we must convince the people. If the rules are unclear, we cannot pass the law first and only think about regulations later.
“We must discuss these regulations, and if possible, include them in the annex of the law,” he said.
Johari, who is also the Minister of Plantation and Commodities, said this during an exclusive interview on TV3’s Buletin Utama Podcast last night.
The Urban Renewal Bill 2025, initially scheduled for its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat in August, has been postponed to the next parliamentary session in October following strong objections from the opposition and some government MPs.
Recently, an operation to vacate 37 terrace houses in Kampung Sungai Baru turned chaotic, leading to Dang Wangi District Police Chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman sustaining a head injury after being hit by an object. Several arrests were later made, with suspects confirmed not to be local residents.
Johari further questioned the government’s role should the URA be enacted, particularly in cases where developers go bankrupt midway and fail to complete redevelopment projects.
“We must consider these aspects so that our law can cover everything, including the government’s role. If the government approves a developer and its project, but halfway through, the developer goes bankrupt, what is the government’s responsibility?
“That is why we must proceed carefully,” he said. – September 18, 2025