Kampung Teluk Serdang in Taman Perling, one of the illegal squatter settlements identified by MBIP. — ZAZALI MUSA/The Star
ISKANDAR Puteri City Council (MBIP) cannot take action against illegal squatter settlements built on private land.
Iskandar Puteri mayor Hasrin Kamal Hashim said it was the prerogative of landowners to evacuate squatters for illegal encroachment.
He, however, advised landowners to obtain court orders before clearing or starting any demolition work on squatter homes.
“My advice is to follow legal proceedings to lawfully evict squatters, instead of taking matters into your own hands,” Hasrin Kamal told StarMetro.
Hasrin Kamal: Illegal structures demolished at Kampung Laut Baru 10 in 2022.
He said under Malaysian law, landowners could request the respective local authority to take action against squatters if they were unable to safely manage an eviction.
He said action would then be taken under Emergency (Clearance of Squatters) Regulation 1969, where the local authority could, after giving seven days’ written notice, enter a site to demolish structures.
Hasrin Kamal said the city council’s Property Valuation and Management Department had identified 11 squatter settlements within the Iskandar Puteri area.
However, he said the department did not have official records on the number of houses and residents living in the settlements, including whether they were locals or foreigners.
“Four out of 11 squatter colonies are on government land while the other seven are occupying private land,” said Hasrin Kamal.
The four are Kampung Lorong Aris Batu 8 1/2, Kampung Sepakat Baru, Kampung Laut Batu 10 and Kampung Muhibbah.
“Johor Baru Land Office demolished illegal structures at Kampung Laut Baru 10, for encroaching into their land, on Oct 2022,” said the mayor.
The squatter settlements on private land are Kampung Sungai Perling, Kampung Sungai Perling Baru, Kampung Teluk Serdang, Kampung Tuah Jaya, Kampung Teluk Serdang Pinggir and Kampung Baharu.
Separately, Hasrin Kamal said there were no cases of encroachment of land belonging to MBIP throughout last year.
“The majority of illegal encroachments took place on reserve areas belonging to the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), which people used for vegetable and fruit farming.”
Hasrin Kamal said any development of reserve areas without permission from DID was prohibited because those areas functioned as buffer zones to prevent erosion, ensure machinery access and protect water quality.
He also reminded residents that action would be taken on illegal permanent building and structural extensions, particularly at low-cost flats and their common areas.
“We have been actively conducting enforcement, demolishing these structures to comply with Street, Drainage, and Building Act 1974,” he said.
