The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) strongly opposes the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) tabled in Parliament by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, calling it a DAP-driven scheme that hands sweeping powers to federal politicians and developers at the expense of ordinary homeowners.
Yong Yit Jee, SAPP Supreme Council Member, Vice Youth Chief and practising lawyer, said that while the URA currently applies only to West Malaysia and Labuan, Sabahans must not take this lightly.
“This law is designed to benefit big developers, with the federal minister wielding all-powerful discretion to decide who profits. Sabahans will not allow our people’s homes, towns, and communities to be sacrificed for private gain,” he said.
Under the bill, buildings older than 30 years can be declared “urban renewal areas” and demolished through compulsory acquisition, even if 25% of owners object. “This violates Article 13 of the Federal Constitution, which protects property rights, and puts entire communities at risk of forced eviction,” Yong added.
He stressed that housing, land, and local government are matters squarely under State List powers. Article 95E of the Federal Constitution prevents Parliament from unilaterally legislating on Borneo states matters without consent. “Under MA63, Sabah and Sarawak were guaranteed control over land, housing, and local governance. URA does not apply here in Sabah, and SAPP will make sure it never does,” he said.
Civil society groups including Lawyers for Liberty have already condemned the URA as “the biggest danger to property rights since independence”. The National House Buyers Association also questioned why buildings as young as 30 years must be demolished when their lifespan is 70 to 100 years.
Most recently, a coalition of more than 80 residents associations and NGOs in Klang Valley rejected the bill as “defective, unsound, unlawful and devoid of legitimacy”, warning that it allows compulsory acquisition at thresholds as low as 75% and risks uprooting entire communities.
“This is not just about a law. It is about protecting our homes, our communities, and our constitutional safeguards. The danger is clear: if federal encroachment is tolerated in Malaya, it could one day be forced onto Sabah,” Yong declared.
SAPP affirmed its stand: “Hands off our homes. Hands off our rights. Sabah decides, not Putrajaya.”
Yong Yit Jee lawyer
SAPP Supreme Council member cum Vice Youth Chief