17 January, PUTRAJAYA – The government plans to introduce new regulations to ease the redevelopment of public housing schemes that are more than 25 years old and to protect the rights of the original residents.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister, Tan Sri Noh Omar said the new regulations would also enable the areas involved to be developed without hindrance and in a more systematic manner than for the existing housing projects.
“These regulations are important to prevent certain parties from instigating the original residents so as to prevent redevelopment of their housing areas,” he told a press conference after closing the National Urbanisation Convention 2018 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, today.
Citing the Kerinchi Residency, Noh said redevelopment of the Kampung Kerinchi flats into an 18-storey condominium with an integrated modern concept had opened the eyes of many although the project was initially opposed by a small group of residents who were instigated by certain parties for their own political interest.
He said the project handled by the Federal Territories Ministry and fully completed in October 2016 had clearly benefited the original residents who were given priority to own the condominium units.
“We did not want it to be like the Datum Jelatek project of the Selangor state government where it demolished the old houses to be replaced with a nice condominium but in the end, the original residents were not given compensation and also could not afford to purchase these units where a unit of 600 sq ft in size was sold at RM500,000 and above,” he noted.
Noh said the new regulations would also be considered for inclusion in the National Public Housing Management Corporation Act which was being drawn up.
He said the redevelopment of old public housing schemes should be carried out with new features such as bigger rooms, sufficient parking area and recreational facilities in keeping with the times.
On the convention, Noh said the 79 resolutions and 29 strategies drawn up through the eight workshops held were all aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of urban residents.
He said the resolutions would be brought to the Cabinet and also to be discussed at the World Urban Forum in Kuala Lumpur next month.
– BERNAMA