Latest news with #Selangor
Free Malaysia Today
38 minutes ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Klang city council rejects proposal for columbarium project
Klang mayor Abd Hamid Hussain said the applicants may file an appeal to the Selangor town and country planning department within 30 days. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : The Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) has rejected a proposal to build a four-storey columbarium near a mosque at Kampung Raja Uda. Klang mayor Abd Hamid Hussain said this was decided at a one-stop centre committee meeting on Thursday after taking into consideration technical issues and objections from residents. 'The applicants may file an appeal to the Selangor town and country planning department within 30 days. 'If they are not satisfied with the decision of the appeals board, they may bring the matter to court,' Utusan Malaysia reported him as saying today. On June 6, it was reported that residents at Kampung Raja Uda were considering submitting a memorandum to the sultan of Selangor to protest against the proposal. Village committee chairman Azhar Ibrahim said most of the 5,000 residents in the village opposed the proposed construction of the columbarium on a 1ha plot of private land. He said they were worried the area may become polluted by ashes generated from cremation, particularly among homes situated less than 10m from the proposed site. On June 19, Port Klang assemblyman Azmizam Zaman Huri expressed his confidence that MBDK would reject the proposal, as the developer had failed to present or justify the suitability of the project in a Malay-majority area. Azmizam said that under the current laws, only 28 types of limited commercial activities were allowed in the area, none of which included the construction of a memorial or columbarium. He said the proposal was clearly unsuitable as the land zoning under the MBDK local plan up to 2035 specified that the proposed project site was meant to be 'a limited commercial area'. Masjid Kampung Raja Uda imam Bazaireen Baharuddin had also expressed his concern over the proposal, which he said would see many religious ceremonies held there.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Klang council rejects columbarium plan near Kg Raja Uda mosque after residents cite traffic, religious concerns
KLANG, June 29 – The Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) reportedly said it has rejected a proposal to build a four-storey columbarium — a memorial facility for handling and storing human ashes — near a mosque in Kampung Raja Uda here. Mingguan Malaysia reported Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain saying the decision was made during the One Stop Centre (OSC) Committee Meeting on Thursday, citing technical concerns and objections from local residents. 'However, the applicant may file an appeal to the Selangor State Town and Country Planning Department within 30 days. 'If they are still dissatisfied with the Appeal Board's decision, they may bring the matter to court,' he was quoted saying. He added that MBDK had followed proper procedures in reviewing the application. Utusan Malaysia previously reported on June 11 that Kampung Raja Uda residents had urged the council to reject the project, fearing potential negative impacts. They cited concerns over traffic congestion as the columbarium site is located along Persiaran Raja Muda Musa, a key route to Klang, Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur. Residents also feared that pile-driving work could damage nearby homes, including causing severe wall cracks. Kampung Raja Uda Mosque imam Mohd Bazaireen Baharuddin had earlier expressed disappointment that the columbarium would be built less than 50 metres from the mosque. 'We are worried that many religious events will be held there once it is completed, making Muslim residents here uncomfortable. We hope our MP, assemblyman, and the mayor will hear our concerns,' he reportedly said.
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Experts call for tax on vacant and unsold homes
More than 22,600 completed houses remained unsold for more than nine months in 2024, according to the national property information centre. PETALING JAYA : Housing experts have called for a vacancy tax to help tackle the rise of vacant and unsold homes and lower property prices by discouraging speculation. They said many 'affordable' housing units are being held empty by owners or investors, making it harder for real buyers to find homes. Research associate K Theebalakshmi said a vacancy tax can prevent speculation and push developers to build homes that meet actual needs, reducing oversupply and supporting more balanced housing development Theebalakshmi, who is with Khazanah Research Institute, said housing prices in Malaysia rose by 5.8% a year between 2010 and 2022, well above the healthy growth range of 3% to 4%. K Theebalakshmi. 'While some fear falling home prices or rents, this kind of market correction (vacancy tax) may be just what we need to make housing more fair and stable,' she told FMT. 'In highly urbanised states where vacancy and overhang rates are high, a vacancy tax would help stop people from holding on to homes for quick profit.' Figures from the statistics department show that nearly 20% of homes in Selangor and Penang were vacant in 2020. More than 53,000 units were unoccupied in Penang, often waiting to be sold or rented out. In Selangor, 343,562 homes were reported vacant, with about 197,065 of them either newly completed or pending occupancy. As of mid-2024, there were 22,642 completed homes that remained unsold for more than nine months, according to the national property information centre. These unsold homes, also known as overhang units, were worth a total of RM14.24 billion. Theebalakshmi noted that countries like Canada, Australia and Singapore have vacancy or higher property taxes on empty or non-owner-occupied homes, ranging from 1% to 3% of the property's value. A 3% tax applies to homes left empty for more than six months in Vancouver, Canada, while a sliding scale is used in Melbourne, Australia, starting at 1% in the first year of vacancy and increasing in later years. In Singapore, higher property tax rates are imposed on non-owner-occupied homes. Azree Othuman Mydin. Azree Othuman Mydin, the dean of Universiti Sains Malaysia's housing, building and planning school, said a vacancy tax would reduce flipping and hoarding, especially for properties in the RM300,000 to RM500,000 range. Azree also proposed raising the real property gains tax for those who sell their units too early, saying this would make quick resale less attractive and help curb flipping. Apart from a ban on renting or leasing affordable units during the minimum tenancy period unless permitted or approved by local authorities, he suggested that buyers who leave affordable units vacant without a valid reason may be prevented from purchasing future government housing units. 'If we want housing to go to those who need it most, we must stop treating homes as trading tools,' he said.
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Religious affairs minister censures surau for ejecting worshipper, says mosques are not ‘exclusive spaces'
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 – Religious Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar has expressed disappointment over a viral incident involving a male worshipper who was removed from a surau in Teluk Panglima Garang in Selangor after performing Subuh prayers. He added that the removal of a worshipper who was not causing disruption went against the values of mercy and respect fundamental to Islam. 'Suraus and mosques are sanctuaries for the soul... not exclusive spaces to be controlled without wisdom and compassion,' Mohd Na'im said. He also called for mosque and surau administrators to adopt a more compassionate and respectful approach, particularly when dealing with elderly congregants. 'Administrative actions must be carried out with decorum and respectful communication – not in a manner that humiliates others,' he said. The individual, believed to be the father of popular preacher PU Azhar Hilmi, was reportedly engaged in acts of worship such as i'tikaf and waiting for Dhuha prayers alone when he was asked to leave by a female staff of the surau. Mohd Na'im also stressed that preserving the sanctity of mosques went beyond maintaining their physical structure, and included fostering moral conduct and a spiritually uplifting environment. He then urged all parties to resolve the issue in a spirit of mutual forgiveness to ensure suraus remain welcoming and dignified spaces for all worshippers. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) also weighed in, saying the incident must be taken seriously as it concerns proper decorum and governance at religious premises. 'Mosques and suraus are institutions of rahmah that shape the character and unity of the ummah,' said Jakim director-general Datuk Sirajuddin Suhaimee, using the Arabic word that means 'compassion' or 'blessings'. He said Jakim continues to promote the values of Masjid Rahmah by engaging mosque administrators and the public in efforts to uphold Islamic ethics and ensure places of worship remain peaceful and inclusive. 'A key focus is on upholding Islamic ethics in treating worshippers and visitors with kindness, particularly within the sacred spaces of Allah that should foster serenity, peace, and reflection,' he added.
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Selangor top cop calls for safer student-only hostels after Cyberjaya killing in off-campus unit
KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 – Off-campus student accommodations should undergo proper screenings and be restricted to student tenants only, Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said. He emphasised that shared residences with members of the public could compromise student safety, especially for female students, and urged universities to allocate dedicated blocks or areas exclusively for them. 'In short, universities must dedicate a block or area for students only, especially female ones,' he was quoted telling The Star. 'If an apartment or condominium used as an off-campus hostel also houses tenants who are members of the public, security will not be at an optimum level.' He said universities must also install sufficient security infrastructure, including CCTV cameras, guards and access card systems, at student lodgings. 'It will greatly assist in security monitoring and ensuring the safety of students,' he said. Police will also work with the management staff of universities to highlight the importance of these security measures, he added. Hussein said student safety must always be prioritised, and must not be taken for granted. His remark came after the murder of Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara, a Bachelor of Physiotherapy student from Kuching, at University of Cyberjaya. She was found unconscious in her off-campus accommodation on Tuesday morning, and was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived at the scene. Sepang police said there were no signs of forced entry or sexual assault but reported that the victim had suffered head injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. Three suspects have since been remanded for one week starting Friday, to assist in the investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
