Recently, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced that the Education Ministry has developed both long and short-term strategies to address overcrowding in schools nationwide, particularly in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
While I welcome the Education Minister’s attention to the issue of overcrowded schools, it is crucial to recognize that approving redevelopment projects without considering the availability of other essential support amenities and space for schools nearby will only worsen the problem.
We must ask ourselves whether we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that children across Malaysia have access to a conducive learning environment. Overcrowded schools certainly aren’t.
The Cabinet should order all local councils in cities to have better coordination with the education department when approving redevelopment projects, which will increase the population in an area in the city, to avoid overcrowding of schools in the vicinity. Developers of high-density redevelopment projects should be asked to contribute to the building fund of schools too.
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s plan to lower the consent threshold for owners of old buildings in cities for urban redevelopment may lead to disproportionate increases in plot ratios for new replacement buildings on the same parcels of land. This policy direction will certainly cause severe spikes in population densities, overcrowded schools, and traffic congestion in cities.
I urge the Cabinet to proceed with caution regarding the proposed amendments to the Urban Redevelopment Act (URA), which seeks to lower the consent threshold for owners of high-rise old buildings to sell en-bloc, from the present consent threshold of 100% to 75%.
I urge all local councils to hold meaningful consultations with all stakeholders including education ministries before allowing approvals. We should be mindful of not repeating urban nightmares caused by the previous government in certain parts of Klang Valley now.