{"id":6753,"date":"2025-08-08T15:35:53","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T07:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/?p=6753"},"modified":"2026-02-03T09:03:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T09:03:54","slug":"rehda-institute-lunch-forum-champions-sustainable-urban-renewal-for-malaysias-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/2025\/08\/08\/rehda-institute-lunch-forum-champions-sustainable-urban-renewal-for-malaysias-future\/","title":{"rendered":"REHDA Institute Lunch Forum Champions Sustainable Urban Renewal for Malaysia\u2019s Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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KUALA LUMPUR, 10 June 2025<\/strong> \u2014 In response to Malaysia\u2019s growing urban challenges and opportunities for sustainable redevelopment, REHDA Institute<\/strong> today convened a highly relevant Lunch Forum<\/strong> titled \u201cResilient Cities, Sustainable Futures: Transforming Urban Landscapes through Sustainable Renewal\u201d<\/em>. The event was held at the PAM Building, Bangsar, and was supported by an impressive lineup of collaborators, including Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM)<\/strong>, Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP)<\/strong>, Monash University Malaysia<\/strong>, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)<\/strong>, and VICTIMS Malaysia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forum comes at a pivotal time for Malaysia\u2019s urban development landscape, with the country recently assuming the Presidency of UN-Habitat<\/strong> and preparing for the rollout of the Urban Renewal Act (URA)<\/strong>. With cities facing mounting pressures from aging infrastructure, increasing population density, and climate challenges, the forum sought to promote strategic, people-centric, and forward-looking solutions to urban renewal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening Address by Kuala Lumpur Mayor: A Call for Collaborative Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event was graced by YBhg Datuk Seri TPr Dr. Maimunah Mohd Sharif<\/strong>, Mayor of Kuala Lumpur<\/strong>, who delivered a powerful keynote address. Drawing from her distinguished career in international urban governance and planning, Datuk Seri Maimunah emphasised the critical importance of collaboration<\/strong> among stakeholders in shaping a more liveable and inclusive capital city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She highlighted that the success of urban renewal depends not solely on policy, but on shared responsibility among government bodies, private developers, academia, and the rakyat<\/strong>. She reiterated that making Kuala Lumpur and other cities resilient requires aligning social, economic, and environmental goals, with people at the centre of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panel Discussion: Cross-Sectoral Insights for Urban Transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forum\u2019s main highlight was a robust panel discussion<\/strong> featuring leading voices from planning, architecture, engineering, academia, civil society, and real estate. The diverse panel explored innovative frameworks and practical tools to navigate Malaysia\u2019s evolving urban renewal challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The panel featured a distinguished lineup of experts, including Sr. Foo Gee Jen, Advisor at CBRE-WTW; Dr. Mohamed Rafick Khan Abdul Rahman, Chairman of VICTIMS Malaysia; Datin TPr Mazrina Dato\u2019 Abdul Khalid, President of the Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP); Ar. Steven Thang, Director of NVT Architects; Ir. Ts. Wong Chee Fui, Specialist at the Faculty of <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engineering & Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR); Dr. Tan Wen Shan, Senior Lecturer and Theme Leader at the Centre for Net-Zero Technology (CNZT), Monash University Malaysia; Ar. Dexter Koh Yew Peng, Deputy President of Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM); and Ar. Idr. Nur Safuraa Abd Razak, Principal at NU-SA Architect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Takeaways: A Five-Point Strategic Framework for Urban Renewal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delivering his Closing Remarks<\/strong>, Dato\u2019 Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip<\/strong>, Chairman of REHDA Institute, articulated a concise five-point framework that captured the essence of the day\u2019s dialogue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Homeowners Lead Through Structured Engagement<\/strong>
    Residents should be empowered to initiate and drive redevelopment efforts through well-organised committees and transparent processes involving professionals and local authorities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Unlock Full Land Value Before Developers Step In<\/strong>
    With early access to expert planning and legal advice, homeowners can maximise the potential of their land and negotiate more equitable redevelopment terms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Local Authorities as Strategic Community Partners<\/strong>
    Municipal councils must evolve into active, trusted advisors that support planning, protect community interests, and offer structured consultation services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Redevelopment Without Displacement<\/strong>
    People must remain at the heart of renewal strategies. On-site rehousing or dignified relocation must be guaranteed to preserve the community\u2019s social fabric.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Plan First, Negotiate From Strength<\/strong>
    Proactive and inclusive planning allows communities to attract the right development partners, ensuring long-term value for residents and the urban landscape.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Towards a National Urban Renewal Agenda<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The forum\u2019s outcomes will significantly contribute to the ongoing policy discourse involving PLANMalaysia<\/strong>, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government<\/strong>, and other relevant urban development agencies. The insights shared reflect a collective vision to transform Malaysia\u2019s urban future through sustainable, inclusive, and community-led renewal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As urbanisation accelerates, the urgency to balance development with environmental, economic, and social sustainability<\/strong> grows. Through events like this, REHDA Institute continues to play a vital role in equipping stakeholders with the knowledge, tools, and networks necessary to build resilient, liveable, and future-ready Malaysian cities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Note: REHDA Institute is an independent think tank with its own Board of Trustees and operates as a separate entity from REHDA Malaysia (the developers\u2019 association). Therefore, kindly refer to us as \u201cREHDA Institute.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    KUALA LUMPUR, 10 June 2025 \u2014 In response to Malaysia\u2019s growing urban challenges and opportunities for sustainable redevelopment, REHDA Institute today convened a highly relevant Lunch Forum titled \u201cResilient Cities, Sustainable Futures: Transforming Urban Landscapes through Sustainable Renewal\u201d. The event…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[75,82,88],"class_list":["post-6753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-national-urban-renewal","tag-planmalaysia","tag-rehda-institute"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6753"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9977,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6753\/revisions\/9977"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paparazzi.com.my\/newthemepaparazzi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}