News by Datuk Chang Kim Loong

On Feb 26, 2026, the Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government, Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu, reportedly stated in the Dewan Rakyat that local councils in Peninsular Malaysia “have no authority to take action against abandoned vehicles within strata-titled properties — unless the Joint Management Body (JMB) or Management Corporation (MC) formally requests it”.

Residential safety is not a luxury. It is a non-negotiable right. Until transparency, enforcement and accountability become standard practice, many Malaysians will continue living on the edge—often without fully realising how close they are to falling.

On Jan 23, the Madani Cabinet took the rare step of withdrawing the Urban Renewal Bill (URA Bill)—originally slated for its second reading in Parliament—for comprehensive revision.

The proposal to use a 30-year building age as a redevelopment trigger under the Urban Renewal Act (URA) Bill (now in Parliament) remains fundamentally unsound, even with the Housing and Local Government  (KPKT) Minister Nga Kor Ming’s latest suggestion of “reviewing” it.

The proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) Bill 2025, recently tabled in Parliament, could fundamentally reshape Malaysia’s property landscape. While initially perceived as targeting old strata developments, the URA’s language is actually wide enough to include landed residences, business premises, and commercial properties, especially those more than 30 years old.

Back in April, the Minister of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), Nga Kor Ming, said that a proposed Property Management Bill was in the works—to address what he perceived as current gaps, and to “ensure the maintenance of buildings nationwide”. However, this has raised serious concern within Malaysia’s professional property management community, and many have voiced their objections.

In the heart of our capital, Kuala Lumpur, amidst gleaming skyscrapers and bustling streets, lie the forgotten shadows of dilapidated buildings: unsafe, unhygienic, and silently breeding distress.

The enactment of Section 33A of the Insolvency Act 1967 via the Insolvency (Amendment) Act 2023 marked a noteworthy transformation in Malaysia’s insolvency regime.

DBKL’s new framework seems to centralise decision-making and sideline public voices, effectively shutting the public out of decisions that directly affect the liveability, heritage, and sustainability of their neighbourhoods.

Physical development in Kuala Lumpur must be balanced with social needs to ensure the city remains conducive and liveable for all generations, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa.