KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — PAS Youth said today it will continue opposing the Urban Renewal Bill, and will hold a protest on a “larger scale” should Putrajaya proceed with it.
In a statement, the wing of the Islamist party accused the government of ignoring public concerns on the matter — despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s explanation on the issue.
“PAS Youth asserts that the protest against the Urban Renewal Bill will continue on a larger scale, as guaranteed under the Federal Constitution, should the government fail to heed the voices of the people,” the wing’s deputy chief Mohd Hafez Sabri said.
The wing said a protest would pressure the government to reopen negotiations and provide a more comprehensive explanation to stakeholders, and not just developers and academics.
Anwar has asserted that the Bill, set to be tabled in Parliament, will not alter the status of Malay reserve lands, saying accusations that they will be seized as false.
The proposed Bill that is expected to be tabled later this year, could allow the “en bloc” sale of entire strata developments, even if not all owners agree.
An en bloc sale occurs when all owners of a building agree to sell their units to a single buyer, often for redevelopment purposes.
Currently, under Section 57 of the Strata Titles Act 1985, a strata development can only be sold if there is 100 per cent agreement from the owners.
The proposed Bill seeks to lower this threshold, depending on the age and condition of the building. The new law would lower the consent threshold required for an en bloc sale, depending on the age of the building.
Buildings under 30 years old could be sold with 80 per cent consent from the owners, while those older than 30 years would require only two-thirds consent. For buildings that are deemed unsafe or abandoned, just half of the owners would need to approve the sale.
