In the heart of Kg Papan, amid the remnants of demolished houses, new life is quietly taking shape.
Three blocks of nine 8-by-8-foot rooms and two rudimentary shacks now stand on a lot surrounded by the debris of houses that were recently torn down at the village in Klang, Selangor.
The small buildings are a testament to community effort and the generosity of strangers. Though basic, with electricity and minimal bathroom facilities, the structures offer a glimmer of stability for those displaced.
Central to this effort is Low Siew Lam, a resident whose own house was not included in the demolition order. Moved by empathy for her neighbours, she followed the five-day demolition work closely, offering comfort and assistance wherever she could.
Each day, Low returns to the lot, helping maintain the small shelters and coordinating with volunteers, forging bonds across the small but resilient community.
A large number of young volunteers from outside the area also came forward to help, contributing to what would have been an impossible task for the senior citizens who were displaced.
Their efforts have transformed the lot from rubble into a space of modest shelter and shared hope.
The rebuilding took about three weeks to complete and was funded entirely through donations, totalling RM8,000, Low told Malaysiakini.
“It is indeed sad. The five days of the demolition, I just followed the developers, the police, anyone - I just followed them.
“Looking at (what happened), I felt sympathy. Even though it wasn’t my house, but just watching, I also felt sympathy,” said the 55-year-old housewife while fighting back tears.
If not for a court case over her house, it would have been demolished as well, she pointed out.
Low, who is the residents’ association president, said the plot of land the new homes stand on belongs to her next-door neighbour, who agreed to let those displaced stay there without any charge.
While the physical structures have risen, the political challenges remain. Klang PSM member Sivasundram Nadarajah noted that even with these community efforts, solutions are uncertain as six Selangor menteris besar have failed to resolve the situation, and it is unclear whether the current administration will do so.
“The hope of the residents here is for a solution as soon as possible,” he said.
The residents have exhausted all avenues of appeal and protest, Sivasundram said, adding that PSM is doing all it can to support them.
In November, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the long-running land dispute in Kampung Papan spiralled into a legal mess after those involved took the matter to court instead of reaching a compromise, adding that this derailed the state’s settlement attempt.
He stressed that while the state tried to mediate, both sides refused, and the court case then continued, with the ruling ultimately favouring the developer, Melati Ehsan Consolidated Sdn Bhd.
Still worried
The lack of a clear resolution underlines the worries of some residents, who recognise that their security remains precarious, despite the compassion and hard work that now define the site.
One resident, Ang Boon Hai, 63, despaired at the situation but added he had come to terms with what happened.
Asked what resolution he hopes for, the retired repairperson replied with quiet anguish: “There is no use to me hoping. I cannot do anything.”
The residents launched the new homes on Jan 1 as a protest against the Selangor government, which they claim has failed to fulfil its housing promises.
This comes after the demolition of unoccupied and occupied homes in the settlement in November last year, despite the state government’s earlier promise that only empty structures would be torn down.
According to the residents’ committee, 29 occupied units were demolished during the five-day operation, during which the police arrested 11 residents, PSM members, and activists.
Previously, the Selangor government reportedly committed to building new homes to resettle the affected Kampung Papan residents.
After the demolition, former Klang MP Charles Santiago said that under an agreement between the past BN-led state government and a developer appointed to revive the abandoned housing project -TPPT Sdn Bhd - the families were promised homes if the company took over the land.
“In 1995, the Selangor government transferred 95 acres (38.5ha) of the land to TPPT, a subsidiary of Bank Negara Malaysia, and in 2007, TPPT brought in Melati Ehsan Consolidated to build the houses.
“However, nearly three decades later, the families in Kampung Papan have still not received the promised double-storey terrace houses, which were supposed to be sold to them at RM99,000,” Charles had said.
Protests to continue
So far, the residents have not received word from the state government or the developer in regard to their plight.
Asked about the residents’ next move, Low simply said they will continue to protest until they receive a response.
Retired clerk, Teoh Ah Guat, 63, added that all the residents want is what they were promised.
“Until now, we have been forced to find a way to live here,” she said. - Mkini
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