URA postponed: Is Zahid claiming an UMNO victory?

 

DEPUTY Prime Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, reacting to the deferment of the Urban Renewal Bill announced yesterday (Jan 23) by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, is now attributing the postponement to UMNO’s convention on the proposed legislation.

Last year, several high-ranking UMNO figures voicing their dissent against the doomed bill included vice-president and Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, UMNO Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, and various Wanita UMNO delegates.

But UMNO was not alone in the coordinated efforts. Component parties within the Pakatan Harapan, such as PKR and Amanah, also voiced concerns. Subang MP Wong Chen, representing a group of seven PKR lawmakers, voiced concerns on the bill, calling for delays and for it to be refined.

For Zahid, the deferment is necessary to ensure the bill in question is strengthened by considering the views of various stakeholders at the convention held on Oct 3 last year.

“The deferment was made because the existing bill (PSB Bill) needs to take into account 14 recommendations from the convention organised by UMNO, which was attended by many NGOs (non-governmental organisations), business figures, and individuals who want to strengthen the URA before it is re-presented in Parliament at the next sitting,” he said.

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also said the bill needs to be improved and refined.

He said several amendments must be made as proposed by the UMNO Special Committee, chaired by its vice-president Johari.

The deferment is seen as a massive U-turn by the Madani government.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming actively defended the bill. They gave the impression they would not bend to criticism and calls for refinement.

Anwar and Nga framed it as a necessary, long-overdue initiative to revitalise dilapidated, ageing urban areas and improve living standards for the rakyat, particularly those in the B40 and M40 groups. But the more they pressed, the more criticism they faced.

Yesterday, Fahmi said the government has withdrawn the bill and will table an enhanced version in Parliament after further refinements.

He said the Cabinet decided that the existing Bill should be withdrawn to allow improvements, including amendments and additional provisions, before being reintroduced in a new form.

“Today, the Cabinet agreed that the Bill will be withdrawn to be improved through several amendments and additions, which will be examined, presented, discussed and decided upon before being tabled again in Parliament at a later date,” he told a press conference yesterday.

He said the decision reflected the Government’s intention to ensure that the legislation fully incorporated views and feedback received during the earlier debates in the Dewan Rakyat. —  Focus Malaysia