Kampung Sungai Baru residents fighting to keep their homes amid a takeover effort by a developer and the authorities have demanded an inquiry into the status of their land, saying official documents prove that it is categorised as a “Malay Agricultural Settlement”.
At a press conference in Petaling Jaya today, organised by rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), they also called for a halt to the ongoing development activities pending the inquiry’s findings.
“Once it is verified through an inquiry that the land is (Malay) reserve land, it must be returned to the residents,” the Kampung Sungai Baru Residents’ Rights Committee said.
Its chairman Zainab Alias said if their demand was not met, the residents would stage a gathering in front of Kuala Lumpur City Hall on May 7.
The residents also said that any development by the government should involve them.
Also on their list of demands was a call for the government to repeal Section 3(1)(C) of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 at the next Dewan Rakyat sitting.
Their demands were backed by LFL, which had held a briefing session with the residents on Monday.
Lawyer N Surendran said any move to acquire the land should have involved the residents.
“But they only found out once the acquisition process was complete,” he said.
“They were forced to choose between compensation and replacement homes. Where is the justice?”
He said the acquisition of land under the Land Acquisition Act 1960 was not valid as long as the Malay reserve status of Kampung Sungai Baru remained in force.
The residents recently stepped up their protest of the acquisition, putting up banners expressing their anger towards the developer and contractor.
The area itself is now reminiscent of a war zone, filled with rubble from the flats that have already been demolished.
Rafidah Ibrahim, a resident who has been vocal against the takeover, said the fate of Kampung Sungai Baru did not bode well for other housing areas.
“This is oppression,” she said. “This is the start. I urge the people of Malaysia to unite against Section 3(1)(C).”
Kampung Sungai Baru entered the spotlight due to the impasse between the developer and the residents who have refused to relocate.
Landowners have declined the compensation offered by the developer and are opposing the government’s use of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 for the development of the area under the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation.
They also disagree with the amount of compensation offered, saying it is not in line with market prices given that the area is just minutes away from the Golden Triangle and KLCC – some of the most developed areas in the capital city with a property value of more than RM1,000 per sq ft.
They say that the government must have the unanimous agreement of all landowners before it can take over a given plot of land.
