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On political tightrope, Anwar shelves reforms as Malaysia enters pre-election mode
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Some Malaysians are claiming that the Urban Renewal Act will lead to Chinese-led businesses and the Democratic Action Party grabbing prime land.
ST PHOTO: LU WEI HOONG
- Malaysia withdrew the Urban Renewal Act due to opposition from the Malay Muslim majority, fearing displacement from urban areas, as the government focuses on retaining support.
- PM Anwar proposed reforms, including recognising the Chinese-medium Unified Examination Certificate, but faced pushback. A compromise requires students to pass Malay and History in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam.
- The Political Funding Act is delayed, indicating a broader slowdown in reforms as Malaysia approaches state and general elections.
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has withdrawn plans to proceed with the controversial Urban Renewal Act (URA), which would have introduced a collective sale framework for residents of high-rise buildings similar to Singapore’s system.
The Jan 23 decision appears aimed at avoiding further alienation of Malay-Muslims, as some fear the law
