URA could reduce Malay urban voters, Umno veterans warns

 

UMNO AGM | The Umno Veterans Club have warned that the uncontrolled implementation of the Urban Renewal Act (URA) could potentially reduce the percentage of Malay voters in urban areas.

Its deputy chairperson, Salamon Selamat, said these included areas like Shah Alam, where the percentage could drop from 80 percent to around 60 percent.

“Umno veterans thank Umno for establishing the URA special task force under the leadership of vice-president Johari Ghani, even though it was somewhat late.

“However, based on information I received, not many of the suggestions were included in the URA amendments,” he said while debating Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s keynote address at the Umno general assembly today.

Commenting further, Salamon stressed that the main issue raised by Umno veterans was not merely Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s assurance that the URA would not affect original landowners, but rather the overall impact of the law on the socio-economic and geopolitical structure of urban areas.

“What we are emphasising is the overall implications of urban renewal on an area. If projects favour developers and are not well-regulated, they could be abused and ultimately affect the socio-economic and political position of urban Malays,” he explained.

Salamon also cited the Federal Territories as an example, which has 139 development areas with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM353 billion, with values reaching RM110 million per acre.

“With an average size of around 2,254 square feet, the houses developed will certainly be high-priced and beyond the reach of urban Malays, specifically the B40 and M40 groups,” he said.

Not new concept

Salamon added that the concept of urban renewal was not new and had started during the New Economic Policy era under the leadership of the late Abdul Razak Hussein.

However, Salamon warned that if the URA is implemented on a large scale without strict controls, it will result in urban property ownership being dominated by high-income groups, making it difficult for Malays to own homes in strategic urban areas.

“If this happens, the impact is not only on property ownership but also on the political balance and future of Malays in the city,” he said.

On Aug 21 last year, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming tabled the first reading of the Urban Renewal Act 2025, or better known as the URA.

On Aug 28, the second reading of the bill was tabled but was not debated before being postponed to the next session.

The decision to postpone was made following several concerns and objections raised, including by parliamentarians from BN and PKR. - Mkini