THE Federal taskforce set up by the Department of Director General of Lands and Mines is gathering ideas from the various government officials, academicians and legal practitioners to fine-tune its principle paper on redeveloping stratified development schemes.
Department of Director General of Lands and Mines deputy director general (legal and development management sector) Datuk Che Roslan Che Daud said that the Federal taskforce was established in September 2017 to identify the best approach to redevelop stratified development schemes.
“The objectives of the taskforce are to ease the regeneration process and to safeguard the rights of each party involved.
“This is the fourth workshop held to generate ideas on how to improve the principle paper on redeveloping stratified development schemes.
“According to the regulatory impact analysis that was conducted, there was a proposal to amend the Strata Titles Act 1985, especially on redevelopment.
“Therefore, we are now fine-tuning the ‘kertas dasar’ (principle paper) before we present it to the Cabinet. After that, we will present it to the National Land Council to obtain its approval.
“We expect to present the principle paper to the National Land Council in April.
“Approval by the National Land Council has to be obtained before the Bill can be passed by the legislature,” he told a press conference after the fourth research study workshop on stratified scheme redevelopment at Mercure Hotel today.
Penang Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo stressed the need for regeneration of old housing schemes.
“Maintaining old structures is not economically viable as compared to regenerating.
“Regeneration will result in more housing units be made available to cater to future population growth,” Jagdeep said.
He also proposed implementing a new law specifically on project regeneration.
“There are too many existing laws now.
“We have the Strata Titles Act 1985; and if the regeneration project involves land acquisition, we also have to look at the Land Acquisition Act 1960.
“Perhaps consideration should be given to having a law (on project regeneration) by itself. We just need to observe this law whenever we identify a project for regeneration.
“It will make the process much easier and clearer for everyone. I hope this can be discussed and considered during the workshop.
“Amending existing laws can also be considered. Whatever it is, the legal part of it needs to be addressed,” Jagdeep added.
He said that the existing law specified the requirement to have a unanimous consent from the residents before a regeneration project can begin.
“Imagine if 1,000 people residing in a project; 999 of them agree to the regeneration project except one. The redevelopment cannot proceed.
“Is that fair?” he questioned.
Jagdeep said that while the Federal Government established the taskforce in 2017, the state had set up the Urban Regeneration Committee back in November 2015.
“Five old housing schemes – three on the island and two on the mainland – were identified to be regenerated,” he said.
The five housing schemes mentioned were Rifle Range flats, Lorong Mahsuri flats, Taman Free School flats, Taman Siakap flats, and Mak Mandin flats.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Alvie Cheng