Minister assures no Ramadan eviction for Kg Baru flat residents
Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim has assured that residents of Pangsapuri Sungai Baru in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, won’t be evicted during Ramadan.
He said negotiations with the residents will continue until a solution is found.
“No. Who said they must move during Ramadan? No. It’s an interpretation by various parties, so remember that in Islam it is...
Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim has assured that residents of Pangsapuri Sungai Baru in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, won’t be evicted during Ramadan.
He said negotiations with the residents will continue until a solution is found.
“No. Who said they must move during Ramadan? No. It’s an interpretation by various parties, so remember that in Islam it is ‘haram’ (forbidden) to spread falsehoods. It’s not good.
“This includes the reporter who spread news without seeing the letter. It is a notification letter, not a notice. There will be no evictions during the fasting month. Impossible!
“How could we issue a notice telling them to move out before Hari Raya,” Shahidan (above) told reporters in Putrajaya last night.
Last Saturday, Malaysiakini reported that Pangsapuri Sungai Baru residents received forms just three days before the start of Ramadan.
According to the Land Acquisition Act 1960, Form K is a notice of formal possession of land issued by a land administrator.
When contacted, a resident representative told the news portal that some residents have yet to receive full compensation but are already being asked to vacate their homes.
“The flat residents were notified of the Form K on March 22. But the forms only reached the hands of the residents on April 1.
“The problem is, when the residents received the notice on April 1, it was three days before the start of the fast.
“Should this letter have been issued during a time when the residents are celebrating Ramadan?” asked the representative, who wished to be identified only as Ibrahim.
However, Shahidan said no eviction notice was issued. Instead, the letter just states that the Federal Territory Lands and Mines Office is taking over the land.
He said negotiations between the developer and residents will take place today to find a solution to the matter.
“It was the Lands and Mines Office that issued the letter. All land acquisition matters involve that office. They issued a letter, not a notice.
“They are Federal Territory residents. We will continue negotiations between the developer and residents. Tomorrow (April 12) there is a meeting between the developer and residents,” he added.
Former owners can stay until July 31
In a statement last night, the Land and Mines Director-General’s Department said the flat’s new owner, Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Bharu (PKB), has “no objections and allows former owners to continue to reside in the flats involved until July 31.
“PKB will issue permission letters to the former owners concerned following the issuance of Form K by the department,” it said.
According to the department, the land acquisition for Kampung Sungai Baru’s development project was gazetted under Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 on June 21, 2021.
The acquisition, it said, involves 72 flat units, 37 terrace house units and one Tenaga Nasional Berhad substation.
“Compensation payments for the flats began in stages in February this year. The compensation paid is around RM198,000 to RM350,000, in accordance with principles under the First Schedule of the Land Acquisition Act.
“Any homeowner who is dissatisfied with the land administrator’s award may file an objection through Form N of the Land Acquisition Act within 42 days from the date of the award.
“After the compensation was paid to the interested parties, the department in March issued the Form K and an accompanying letter,” the department said.
“The issuance of the accompanying letter is a standard procedure in the land acquisition process to inform that the flat is now vested in the relevant statutory body which is PKB,” it added.
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