LETTER | Recent commentaries, including P Gunasegaram’s yesterday (Sept 2), argued that the Urban Renewal Bill concentrates excessive power in the housing and local government minister’s hands. The URA does not centralise authority. But up north, the Penang State Housing Board is also leading urban regeneration, such as in Bayan Baru, where the Mahsuri Flats are being redeveloped. Urban renewal has already proven its worth in KL and Penang, improving homes and lives through collective agreement and fair process. Now, the URA Bill, if passed, can institutionalise that model, ensuring Malaysia can achieve meaningful, safe, and equitable renewal at scale.