CHALLENGES AND READINESS FOR THE URBAN RENEWAL ACT: PERSPECTIVES OF TOWN PLANNERS IN PENANG
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v23i38.1845Keywords:
Urban renewal, Urban Renewal Act, challenges, readiness and strategiesAbstract
Malaysia’s proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) represents a major policy effort to revitalise ageing urban areas through a unified legal and institutional framework. However, as the Act has not yet been gazetted, questions remain about the readiness of institutions and communities to implement it effectively. This study examines institutional and community preparedness for the URA, focusing on Penang as a case study where urban development intersects with heritage conservation. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with practising town planners from the government and private sectors. Thematic analysis revealed four key challenges, legal uncertainty, fragmented coordination, financial constraints, and low community trust. Institutional readiness was found to be partial, as technical capacity exists, but coordination and procedural clarity are lacking. Community readiness remains weak due to limited awareness and mistrust of redevelopment intentions. Guided by Institutional Readiness Theory, the study concludes that Malaysia exhibits high commitment but low efficacy for implementing the URA. Strengthening inter-agency collaboration, establishing clear procedural frameworks, and enhancing public communication are critical steps toward operational readiness. The findings contribute to understanding how policy innovation in Malaysia’s urban governance can evolve from legislative ambition to practical, inclusive reform.
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