DAP man slams claim that Urban Renewal Act aimed at displacing Malays, Indians

DAP man slams claim that Urban Renewal Act aimed at displacing Malays, Indians

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Lim Lip Eng today hit out at a claim by PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man that the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) is aimed at pushing poor Malays and Indians out of urban areas.

In a statement, Lim said such allegations did not make sense.

The Kepong MP said the URA was intended to restore residential homes that were old and unsafe to live in.

He said many buildings in urban areas were experiencing structural problems and electrical supply issues, and lacked modern facilities.

More importantly, he said, the original homeowners would be given new homes for free or at a discounted rate, regardless of their race.

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“They are not being driven away. They are being offered more comfortable homes at the same location,” he said.

Lim also asked where the claim that the URA was a way to remove the Malays and Indians from urban areas had originated.

“It seems that PAS is bereft of issues and is being forced to peddle racially charged myths to frighten the people,” he said.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported Tuan Ibrahim as saying that the URA, which has yet to be tabled, was a “subtle method to push out those who cannot afford it, particularly the Malays and Indians”.

Tuan Ibrahim also said that MPs from Perikatan Nasional would oppose the bill as it could disrupt harmony.

Housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming previously denied that the bill was targeting a specific race.