KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Calling it a betrayal to the Malays, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) vowed last night it will cancel the newly-passed law to develop Kampung Baru if it captures Putrajaya in the coming polls.
The 111-year-old settlement is the capital city’s last Malay enclave located in the shadow of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, which makes it prime real estate.
“In the coming general election, Insya Allah, if Pakatan Rakyat wins, we will repeal this law,” the three-party opposition pact’s head, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim(picture), said at a “Save Kampung Baru” event at the historic Sultan Sulaiman Club in the capital’s Malay heartland last night.
The opposition leader said it was the only choice left to landowners and the heirs of Kampung Baru to save the exclusive Malay settlement from turning into a “victim” of development.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who was also present, promised to take up the issue with state Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, to buy more time before the law is enacted.
The land originally belonged to Selangor royalty but was bequeathed to the Malay community by Sultan Abdul Samad over 100 years ago. The Sultan of Selangor, however, retains the right to advise and give his view to the Malay Agricultural Settlement (MAS) Board and its residents besides its administration.
The Kampung Baru Development Bill 2011 was approved by the Dewan Rakyat last week and will be taken up in the Senate before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong affixes his seal to the document that will establish it as law.
“We will discuss first [with the landowners and heirs], if they agree we will go see [the Sultan]... we Malays have our customs, whatever it is we will discuss first,” Anwar told reporters after leaving the stump.
Kampung Baru lies within the Titiwangsa federal constituency, which has always been an Umno fortress but fell to PAS in Election 2008.
PR has been quick to capitalise on the growing anger of residents unhappy with the Najib administration’s plans to develop the area into an icon of Malay ownership in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
And Anwar and several other Malay opposition lawmakers stood on the soapbox last night to rouse the locals for support.
“If true they want develop, give loans... no need to create a corporation,” Anwar said, referring to the ruling Barisan Nasional government.
The Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry held briefings in June on amendments to the proposed law following protests from Kampung Baru landowners.
Participants were given referendum forms asking if they agreed to Putrajaya’s proposal to redevelop the settlement, the formation of a new corporation to act as the main co-ordinator and for the development to be carried out by government-linked companies.
The Malaysian Insider understands that only 30 per cent of the forms were returned, although it is not known how many supported the proposal.
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