KUALA LUMPUR – Kg Sg Baru residents whose lands are part of a contentious redevelopment project have been served with eviction notices for them to vacate their homes by October 4.
This is despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s order in January for the project to be postponed pending negotiations with residents and stakeholders.
The matter was revealed by Kg Sg Baru Terrace Homes and Flat Owners Action Committee lawyer Khairul Shahrizan Hamizi, who took to Twitter to share the eviction notice received by residents at 10am today.
The notice, issued by the Kuala Lumpur Land Administrator, said homeowners have been found to be staying on government land without the permission of state authorities, an offence under Section 425(1) of the National Land Code.
The law stipulates that those found occupying government or reserve land without legitimate permission, among others, can be fined a maximum amount of RM500,000 or imprisoned for up to five years.
The notice also states that any appeal on the eviction will not be considered.
However, when contacted by Scoop, Khairul said that while residents have no choice but to comply with the notice, the action committee will be applying for an extension on the date when residents have been told to vacate their homes.
“Residents are caught by surprise by this sudden action as it contradicts with the announcement by (Anwar) in January through his political secretary Azman Abidin.
“Previously, we were told that (Anwar), in principle, announced the redevelopment of Kg Sg Baru and the land acquisition process shall be suspended, pending a decision and determination by the government on whether or not to proceed with the redevelopment,” Khairul added.
He also said that since Anwar’s announcement earlier this year, residents have not received any news or updates from relevant authorities, such as the Director-General of Lands and Mines Office and the Kg Baru Development Corporation.
Khairul noted that the eviction is in line with provisions under the Land Acquisition Act (LAA) 1960, which allowed the government to take formal possession of land in the historic Malay enclave in December last year.
For a Kg Sg Baru resident who was served the sudden notice this morning, the shock has yet to wear off as he was counting on Anwar to “do justice” for the people in the locality, many of whom are from the elderly community and have lived in the area their entire lives.
“How can we be served an eviction notice when the prime minister said that the project will be put on hold to conduct negotiations? I hope (Anwar) will be able to step in and help us clarify this issue,” he told Scoop.
“Has the notice been issued in defiance of his announcement (to postpone the project)? Why are they in such a hurry to throw us out, as if we are nothing more than stray dogs?”
The resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, added that while he has no qualms with the redevelopment project taking place, the compensation offered by the Lands and Mines Office was not aligned with the financial worth of his home.
It was previously reported that Kg Sg Baru residents were displeased with the 310% difference in compensation offered by the Lands and Mines Office, as compared with private valuations.
In one case, a resident’s flat was valued at RM470 per sqft by the Finance Ministry’s Valuation and Property Management Department while an independent assessor said that flat should be worth RM1,480 per sqft.
Kg Sg Baru residents’ tribulations can be traced back to 2016, when private developer Ritzy Gloss Sdn Bhd sought to develop a colossal multi-billion ringgit mixed-development project in the area.
In exchange for their property, Ritzy Gloss promised owners a number of brand new units in the new development, subject to the size of residents’ land.
After close to half a decade of negotiations, during which Ritzy Gloss had failed to convince more than 100 landowners, the company applied for the LAA.
Their bid was subsequently approved by then Federal Territories minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
The Prime Minister’s Department now oversees federal territory matters. – September 5, 2023