Kg Baru land issues main focus of Titiwangsa candidates

Finding a solution to the land issue of Kampung Sungai Baru, Kampung Baru continues to be the main focus of the four candidates who are vying for the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat, one of the “hot” seats in the 15th general election (GE15).

BN candidate for the seat, Johari Abdul Ghani said he will create a group of lawyers to represent the 89 percent of Sungai Baru Flat residents in Kampung Sungai Baru, who agreed to move and signed an agreement to do so voluntarily.

"The remaining 11 percent (residents) cannot do anything because developers have used the Land Acquisition Act 1960 to take over their houses and I also don’t want this to happen to the Jalan Tun Razak PKNS Flats," he said when met at the Jelatek People's Housing Programme (PPR).

Johari said that when he became the MP for Titiwangsa in 2017, a developer came forward to establish cooperation with the residents of the Sungai Baru flats to redevelop the area but he did not agree because the developer was not very convincing.

The former second finance minister said the BN government had never used the Land Acquisition Act to acquire the land of the residents of the area.

Previously, 37 Kampung Sungai Baru terrace house owners tried to defend their land from being taken over by developers for the area's redevelopment project.

The Office of the Director of Lands and Minerals of the Federal Territory (PPTGWP) had agreed that the land acquisition should continue because the process had been carried out properly and a majority of the residents had agreed to it.

According to PPTGWP, the redevelopment had been approved by a majority of the residents of the area involved and a joint venture agreement has been signed between owners of 192 flat and 27 terraced house units with the developer.

Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) candidate Khalid Abdul Samad presented a different approach to resolve the issue if his coalition succeeds in forming the government - which is to cancel the gazette that uses the Land Acquisition Act 1960 and restore the policy of “willing buyer, willing seller” with reasonable values.

The former federal territories minister said the offer price of RM1,000 per square foot for the land involved in redevelopment in the area is relevant and would be maintained.

Khalid, who is also Amanah communications director, added that for the Kampung Baru land issue, he thinks the government itself should buy the entire land because it is a special area that could use government allocations.

"It is an investment and not a loss. When the government buys (the land), (the) landowners can buy affordable houses that are in oversupply in the market (using the money)," he said.

Likewise, Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) candidate Khairuddin Abu Hassan vowed to work hard to cancel the gazette imposed through the legal system if elected as the area's representative.

The Federal Territories Pejuang information chief said he had offered free legal services to the residents of Kampung Sungai Baru last June to seek a judicial review, but the matter failed after the intervention of several parties.

"The acquisition of the land (using the Act) of the residents is illegal. The land is privately owned grant land and it is against the law. In addition, there is also an element of misconduct in the redevelopment project," Khairuddin alleged.

Thus, Khairuddin, who is also the husband of actress Umie Aida, said that he and the residents' association in the area had lodged reports with the MACC and police in June.

Although not directly involved in the issue before like the other three candidates, Dr Rosni Adam, who is contesting the seat on a Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket, intends to use an Islamic approach in addition to the laws to resolve the issues facing the residents if elected as MP for Titiwangsa.

The PAS central working committee member said that although there are laws regarding the matter, she prefers to look at them from an Islamic point of view that emphasises land laws, inheritance, faraid and so on.

"In Islam, this land problem is a big problem. (It is) inheritance land, you can't take people's land arbitrarily, it has a very big impact or even a sin. I think the best solution is the Islamic solution by getting a win-win situation," said the dentist.

Rosni, the only woman candidate in the four-way fray, did not agree with the use of the Land Acquisition Act against the 11 percent of the residents who refused to move out.

The PAS leader said she would be the best intermediary between the various parties involved so that their interests would be better protected.

The constituency has 80,889 registered voters.

In GE14 in 2018, Rina Harun of Bersatu won Titiwangsa on a PKR ticket with a majority of 4,139 votes, defeating Johari (BN) and Mohammad Noor Mohamad (PAS).

Early voting is on Nov 15 and polling is on Nov 19.

- Bernama

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