The issue of the Kampung Railway squatter redevelopment in Sentul is regarded as solved after almost 20 years with Kuala Lumpur City Hall having compensated the residents, Deputy Federal Territories Minister Dr J Loga Bala Mohan said today.

He said 120 families had been offered resettlement at various People’s Housing Projects (PPR) up to yesterday when the demolition of the squatter area began.

“Besides the PPR units, which require no rental payment, the residents are also given a subsidy totalling RM18,000 payable in RM500 monthly instalments once their squatter houses are demolished.

“They are also given the option of buying the low-cost houses to be built by the developer, Sentul Raya Sdn Bhd, in the vacated squatter area at the low price of RM42,000 per unit,” he told a news conference in Kuala Mohan.

Loga Bala Mohan said the PPR units offered by City Hall included those located at Bukit Jalil, Intan Baiduri, Selayang, Taman Wahyu, Batu Muda and Sri Kelantan.

He said the government was prepared to assist any of the residents, including providing them with a place for temporary settlement if they found it difficult initially to relocate to the offered PPR units.

“Parents who face difficulty transferring their children to another school can approach City Hall for help to resolve the matter as soon as possible,” he said.

Loga Bala Mohan said 30 families which had taken the matter to court last September but lost the case had also been offered the PPR units, but at a monthly rental of RM124.

“City Hall procedure prohibits those who lose their case in court to be offered any kind of compensation but we have offered each family a PPR unit in Bukit Jalil out of concern,” he said.

The Kampung Railway issue emerged in 1994 when Sentul Raya, a subsidiary of YTL Corporation, announced the construction of 3,000 units of low- and medium-cost houses, two multi-purpose halls and a football field in the area.

City Hall yesterday began to demolish 73 premises involving 143 families in Kampung Railway on the orders of the High Court after Sentul Raya acquired vacant possession of the land last October.

- Bernama