Sungai Buloh nursery operators are requesting more time to relocate, after the Petaling District and Land Office issued them a one-month eviction notice dated March 16.
They said such a move was “unfair”, especially for the Muslim operators, as the notice was issued one week before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“We want a reasonable timeframe to relocate,” said nursery operator Lee Chee Hong at a press conference held at a nursery along Jalan Sungai Buloh.
Another operator, Zainal Asri Che Omar said one month was barely enough to move their plants and nursery goods.
The notice − issued to more than 50 operators occupying 66 lots along the stretch also known as the Selangor Green Lane −ordered them to vacate under Section 425 of the National Land Code 1965, for the unlawful occupation of state land.
In a StarMetro report dated Feb 13, Selangor infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said Selangor government was reclaiming land for a long-delayed road widening project, essential for constructing an elevated road linked to a township development.
The operators were given a one-off RM10,000 ex-gratia payment. It is understood that only about six of them accepted the offer.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia central committee member A. Sivarajan, in an X post, criticised the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation’s 2022 move to relocate the nursery operators to Bukit Changgang in Banting as it was later found that the site was unsuitable.
He urged Selangor government to stop the eviction of the current batch of operators until a relocation site was identified.
In response to the post, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari admitted that Bukit Changgang was a low-lying area that was prone to flooding.
“The road widening work is important to address traffic jams.
“We are offering other alternatives for the relocation,” he said.
On March 13, about 30 operators sent a memorandum to Amirudin’s office, requesting a replacement site and a meeting with the authorities.
On March 14, a local news portal reported that Izham said the government was ready to assist the nursery operators, particularly with relocation to new sites, depending on the state government’s capacity.
Nursery operator Jay Lee said the operators wanted to be part of the township development and were willing to compromise by shifting their nurseries further back from Jalan Sungai Buloh to make way for the road-widening project.
“We do not mind moving our site inwards, as customers would be able to access our nurseries from the back.
“However, the eviction notice shocked many of us and we would like to discuss this with the authorities to find the best solution,” said Jay.
Fellow nursery operator Sunny Low said shifting the nurseries was feasible as he had once suspended operations for six months to accommodate the authorities’ projects, including for a highway, water pipes and MRT works.
“We have experienced this before and are willing to move our nurseries further back to facilitate the works,” he said.
“But one month to relocate is too short, as living plants cannot be stacked like dry goods,” he pointed out.
