Kamarudin (left) meeting with Kampung Pinang Sector C residents in Sungai Besi after they received eviction notices. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
RESIDENTS of Kampung Pinang Sektor C in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, have been asked to stay put despite being issued with an eviction notice by a developer.
Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar said as long as there was no proper compensation or resettlement plan in place, they should stay on their land.
In the Aug 25 eviction notice, residents were ordered to demolish existing structures and vacate by Nov 25 as they had trespassed on land owned by the developer.
Kamarudin said the notice was unprecedented as land acquisition involving residents often included resettlement or compensation plans.
“There are always relocation plans for people when land is sold to a developer.
“I find it strange that there was no prior engagement with the residents here.
“Residents should continue to stay until I obtain more information from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL),” he said, adding that the developer had also written to him requesting a meeting with the residents.
The villagers claimed that the land was occupied by their ancestors since 1885 and was used for agriculture and to rear livestock.
“In the 1970s, the army camp in Sungai Besi expanded and the residents were asked to stop rearing livestock. Some of them moved out of the area.
“It was called Kampung Benggali then but the name was changed in the 1980s.
“Now, there are only 23 houses left with about 80 residents,” said resident Pritam Singh Harchand Singh.
He said the land was granted by the British to his great-grandparents and after gaining independence in 1957, nine of the house owners received temporary occupation licence (TOL).
“We paid the premium until 1996 when the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur Land and Mines Office (PTGWP) did not renew our TOL.
“This is despite numerous TOL renewal applications from us in the span of three years until 1999,” he said.
Airwan Azali, who will be negotiating on behalf of the Kampung Pinang Sektor C residents, said they would need to consult a lawyer before meeting the developer, Astana Setia and Euro Saga Sdn Bhd (ASES).
When contacted by StarMetro, ASES director Brendon Lim rebutted claims that there was no engagement with residents.
He said the company being the registered land owner since 2018, there were plans to develop affordable housing and condominiums in the area.
“The residents are part of the larger group of squatters left out during DBKL’s previous squatter relocation exercise in Sungai Besi around 2018.
“Since then, we have engaged with DBKL seeking their assistance to relocate the residents to PPR or people’s housing project units,” he told StarMetro.
Lim said they had met with Kamarudin and that a meeting would soon be held with residents.
“We are not obliged to pay compensation, but we will consider providing ex gratia relief to facilitate their relocation,” he added.
