Unbearable pain for Chinatown residents

First the Chinatown residents were told their shophouses will be demolished. Now they have been told they have to move out for six months, so tunnels can be dug under their houses.

FEATURE

When MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek met with the lot owners and Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) officials over the controversy of the Chinatown land acquisition, there was a short-lived sense of relief when he revealed that the government has reversed its decision to demolish 31 Chinatown lots to facilitate the digging of My Rapid Transit (MRT) tunnels beneath them.

What doesn’t sit well with the Chinatown community is when Chua said the lot owners would have to vacate their premises for six months to allow the digging of the MRT tunnels.

“It’s good news, yes. But it’s also worrying that we have very fickle-minded people who are in charge of making these decisions. When it was announced that there were plans to demolish the area, many of us suffered sleepless nights.

“And now within just a few weeks of making that decision, it has been taken back. It gives one a very clear idea of how lightly they viewed this situation in the first place. It’s like changing clothes,” says a 40-something stall owner who requested anonymity.

Following an angry outburst from locals, the government revoked its decision to acquire the land along Jalan Sultan for tunnel works.

It was decided that the government would acquire only the land beneath the buildings, leaving untouched anything above the surface. The government, through national transport company Prasarana, had originally argued that the buildings had to be destroyed because they sat on unpredictable limestone rock.

To paint a picture of what could be lost should the go-ahead to demolish Chinatown be given, several business owners share what being a part of this heritage site means to them.

A legacy lost

For Tan Shang Hou, Hotel Loke An is more than just a business. Having been in operation since 1938, it has seen the declaration of Independence, the May 13, 1969 riots, and most recently, the Bersih 2.0 rally when hundreds and maybe thousands of people thronged passed it.

“We all have our roots firmly planted in Chinatown, how do you relocate something like that? How can it be compensated? I’m sure the government is spending millions of ringgit yearly to promote Chinatown. Doesn’t that show what an important heritage site this is? My forefathers slogged to buy Lok An – it’s an irreplaceable part of my heritage should it be taken away,” she says.

Echoing her sentiments is Chong Kah Fatt who adds, “My family and I have been here for the past 60 years.”

“What the government wants to do defies logic. If you take a good look at the area, you will find that there already are a number of LRT stations; the Plaza Rakyat station, for example, has been abandoned for so long. Why don’t they do something with that? We have bills to pay and mouths to feed; to have this happen is inconceivable.”

Next to Hotel Lok An is the bustling Nu Lycie Sdn Bhd which sells every conceivable decoration needed for Chinese New Year in addition to other stationery which children are particularly attracted to.

Owner Daniel Wong employs over 40 staff and his main concern is their livelihood should anything happen to the business. He is particularly incensed about how nonchalantly the authorities have treated this problem.

“It’s so easy for them to walk past our shops and stick notices on our doors informing us about what they want us to do. I have had this business for the past 20 years and only decided to buy this building five years ago. If I have to vacate my building, where is the income to pay the loan going to come from? We are expected to put our lives on hold just because the authorities say so.

“There is a huge piece of land just behind us which I daresay is three times larger than Mid Valley – it’s the property of UDA Holdings. Why aren’t they using that? There are many other options,” he states.

Tan Yik Chong is the 76-year-old owner of Tan Boon Chia & Sons which has run a lodging business in the Man Soon Fatt building for the past 30 years. Frail in demeanour, he is nonetheless feisty when it comes to expressing how he feels about Chinatown.

“I bought this building 30 years ago because I wanted to be able to say that I own a part of history and it can be passed down the generations. It’s not just about business, it’s about principle.

“I have long-term tenants who have lived in this building for 20 years and more. How do I tell them to leave?” he asks while standing in a newly refurbished room just completed two months ago.

An uneasy feeling

It is therefore with some trepidation and suspicion that these business owners and the many others in Chinatown view the government’s decision to retract the land acquisition.

Judy Lam whose family owns Hotel Lok An shares with FMT some concerns felt by the community at a meeting held late last night.

“Many of us feel that this acquisition is done with wrong intention. As such, we shall seek legal advice on this matter including a judiciary review to stop the process as soon as possible.

“The government can acquire the land by stratum title, which allows the MRT to run below ground without acquiring the land above so that we can continue running our business.

“Why this is not done is best known to them. We are particularly concerned about the contradictory statement made by SPAD chairman when he said ‘there is no guarantee.’ This we feel is truly against the law. We will continue to voice dissatisfaction on this issue and also seek NGOs to support us in our fight for justice.”

The stall owner mentioned earlier in this article said that while others may think that they are demanding too much, it should be taken into consideration why the Chinatown community is being fiercely protective of this situation.

“Imagine if you have a business and it’s the only place you have been for almost all your life, it is your home as well. And to be told that it will taken away from you only to have the decision reversed so quickly – it’s makes us feel insecure

“We are only doing what we must to protect our interests. Chinatown isn’t just for the Chinese, it’s for every Malaysian and thousands of tourists who come here. It’s even deemed a national heritage site. Isn’t this enough to safeguard it?

“It’s sad and worrying how lightly the government views this. When we are needed to promote some tourist campaign, then we come in handy. When we are not needed, progress is used as a reason to get rid of us. This is a travesty in every sense of the word.”