IN 1981, a pre-dawn fire razed a small wooden community hall located on Jalan 1, Kampung Baru Salak Selatan, Kuala Lumpur.
What followed was a grassroots revival led by a group of youths in their 20s and 30s. Guided by then-Kuala Lumpur mayor Tan Sri Elyas Omar, they held a fundraising campaign to rebuild the space for the neighbourhood.
For every RM1 raised by the community, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) pledged to match it. The campaign collected RM280,000, and the new hall was built and launched by Elyas himself two years later.
Elyas also issued a letter encouraging the group to form a registered organisation to manage the facility, and on Sept 15, 1987, Persatuan Kebajikan Kampung Baru Salak Selatan, an umbrella body of seven non-governmental organisations (NGOs), was born.
Fast forward more than four decades, and the men and women, now in their 70s and 80s, have found themselves locked out of the very hall they built, ordered to vacate and demolish it.
At a press conference outside the building on Saturday (Aug 2), association deputy chairman, Chen Chong Hing questioned why the authorities did not engage with the association before issuing a demolition order.
“If the hall is illegal, then help us make it legal. Don’t just slap a red notice and ask us to demolish,” he said, choking back tears.
According to the notice, which was issued by the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office (PTGWP), the hall sits on government land and must be vacated and torn down immediately or risk legal action under Section 425(1) of the National Land Code 1965.
Offenders face a fine of up to RM500,000, five years in jail, or both.
Association chairman Chin Yen Foo also expressed disappointment over how the matter was handled.
“This is an association that has been running events for the community since the late 1970s, even before the original hall was burned down,” Chin said.
“They’re saying the structure is illegal after all these years and asking us to demolish it. But why not just engage with us and help fix the problem?
“They should be helping us to legalise the building, out of respect for the people who have worked tirelessly to serve this community, and for the late mayor who helped bring this hall to life,” he added.
Chin said the association had always operated transparently, offering programmes such as kindergartens, charity drives and community events.
“All we’re asking for is respect and a meeting,” he said.
Committee member Chen Kow was unhappy with how the notice was served.
“It wasn’t just one notice on the hall entrance. The officers plastered red notices everywhere, on the library outside the hall, the kindergarten, the basketball court, the food court, even on every trader’s stall inside the food court. That’s not right. It felt more like bullying than enforcement,” Chen added.
Meanwhile, a DBKL spokesperson confirmed that a meeting has been scheduled for Monday with the association to discuss the matter.
