Malaysia s bid to redevelop ageing properties upsets some home owners

KUALA LUMPUR – To an outsider’s eyes, the Cantik Apartments in Kuala Lumpur could do with a makeover, with its exterior and common areas looking the worse for wear and in need of upgrading.

But for some residents of the 40-year-old four-storey block in Cheras, the prospect of redevelopment has given them sleepless nights.

The 87-unit block is one of 139 public and private properties, including 91 residential strata buildings, listed for potential redevelopment under the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040. To enable this, the government is set to table the Urban Renewal Act (URA) in July.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Cheema, a long-time resident, said he and many of his neighbours are upset that the upcoming law could force them out of the building while it is being redeveloped. They are also concerned that they will not be able to afford to live in it once it is gentrified.

“Why should the government want to redevelop this apartment block? The only thing that we need is a repainting of the facade and repairing of the external pipes,” the 61-year old retired teacher told The Straits Times. “Currently, we are paying a maintenance fee of RM80 (S$24) a month and even then some of the retired residents here cannot afford it.

“What happens when the management fee increases because there are more facilities in the new apartment block? How are the residents going to pay?”

Mr Cheema echoes the concerns of many residents in ageing flats nationwide, who like him, have poured their blood and sweat to decorate their homes and make them comfortable to live in. His father bought the 1,300 sq ft unit in 1982 for RM75,000. It is immaculate, with plastered ceilings and built-in cabinets.

The opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia has turned the URA Bill into a hot-button