COMMENT | Better ways to do urban renewal

COMMENT | Pushing poor people out of the city to faraway suburbs is one main concern against the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA).

In my previous article, I mentioned one solution – urban renewal developers should provide affordable housing in the same area as required for any new housing project.

Let's examine other aspects of the complex URA issue. Firstly, can the promise of cheaper flats be trusted?

The National House Buyers Association (HBA) has pointed out that the authorities in the past had failed to fix many problems, especially the abandonment of housing projects.

In short, confidence in the system to enforce the rules is not sterling.

Can system be trusted?

But to be fair, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming seems to be much better than his predecessors.

In February, he announced that his ministry had revived 862 projects of 102,808 housing units worth almost RM86 billion in two years. Well done.

But what will happen if the Madani government falls and some bumbling chap takes over? This is why the...