A coalition of Kuala Lumpur residents' associations has filed a constitutional challenge in the Kuala Lumpur High Court against the part of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 that lets the authorities take private land, including for projects carried out by private companies.
The Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association, which goes by KLRA+SD, announced the case in a statement on 27 October 2026. The group represents more than 80 residents' associations and non-governmental organisations, The Star reported.
The question is about Section 3(1) of the Act, also known as Act 486. In plain terms, the section lets a state authority acquire land for a public purpose, and also on behalf of a person or company for any purpose it considers beneficial to the country's economic development, or for residential, commercial, industrial and other uses. KLRA+SD argues that the power should be used only for a genuine public purpose or in the national interest, The Star reported.
The group says the section breaches Article 13(1) of the Federal Constitution, which says no one may be deprived of property save in accordance with law, and Article 8(1), which guarantees equality before the law, The Edge reported. It also says the acquisition process gives owners no meaningful hearing before the decision is made. "This contravenes the principles of natural justice, particularly the fundamental principle that a person must be given a fair opportunity to present their case before any decision affecting their rights is made," KLRA+SD said.
The group is asking the court to rule on the provisions it is challenging, including whether they should be declared invalid, The Star reported. The group wants fair treatment for owners, not only financial compensation, the paper said.
For an owner in KL, this is where pengambilan tanah, compulsory acquisition, stops being a distant legal term. It is the process used to take land for rail lines and roads, and it sits under the debate about rebuilding old flats and estates. The Edge noted that the government's bill on redeveloping dilapidated urban areas had been sent back by the Cabinet for extensive revisions after months of opposition over how it would use compulsory acquisition under this Act.
Neither report named the respondents, the lawyers acting for KLRA+SD, or any particular acquisition that prompted the case, and neither gave a hearing date. "Through this legal challenge, KLRA+SD seeks to uphold the supremacy of the Federal Constitution while ensuring that the exercise of compulsory acquisition powers remains anchored to natural justice, equality and the rule of law," the association said.
Sources: The Edge Malaysia, The Star.
