More than a month after their homes were bulldozed, residents of Kampung Papan, Pandamaran, "launched" a row of nine small single-room units on New Year's Day as a protest against the Selangor government, which they claim has failed to fulfil its housing promises.
The construction of these 8x8 square-foot units represents the anger of residents who are now forced to live in poor conditions on land under legal dispute.
A residents’ representative said the nine rooms were built with the cooperation of locals at one of the sites in Kampung Papan.
All nine rooms are now occupied by senior citizens and two single individuals, and include shared toilets and bathrooms.
Attending the launch event, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan said the residents were essentially forced to build their own "housing project" after the state government and developer offered only media promises without any action on the ground.
"Today, residents launched nine new homes built through their own cooperation. This is the reality of the 'Rumah Selangorku' for the common people - whose houses were demolished with no replacement. The building of these plywood rooms is a last resort to ensure the elderly and single individuals are not left homeless.
"The state government's actions were unjust, as they preempted the legal process by demolishing 29 occupied homes in November last year, even though the land status appeal case has yet to be decided in court.
"If we win the case in the Court of Appeal, the demolitions would be considered illegal. The developer and state government would have to pay significant compensation for destroying people’s property before the judge's decision," he said at a press conference in Kampung Papan today.
Units demolished
In November, a developer demolished both unoccupied and occupied homes in the settlement, despite the state government's earlier promise that only empty structures would be taken down.
According to the residents’ committee, 29 occupied units were demolished during the five-day operation, during which 11 residents, PSM members, and activists were also arrested by police.
Previously, the Selangor government had reportedly committed to building new homes to resettle the affected Kampung Papan residents.
Pandamaran assemblyperson, Tony Leong, stated that a state-owned subsidiary would soon carry out a housing project for 181 families.
No discussions with residents
Commenting further on the state government’s promise, Arutchelvan said that no discussions have been held with the residents so far.
"Don’t just issue statements to the media or on TikTok to calm netizens. Here, the residents haven’t even received a single official offer letter. Even the assemblyperson hasn’t shown up to give an explanation.
"The residents actually agreed to the RM99,000 housing offer during the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) meeting back in 2018, but the project just 'disappeared.'
"We have written proof. Eighty-three residents wrote letters to the then-menteri besar (Azmin Ali) expressing their acceptance of the offer. So don’t use propaganda saying residents rejected development as an excuse to demolish their homes," he said.
Arutchelvan said the current menteri besar, Amirudin Shari, should not leave such “legacy problems” to the latter's future successor and should immediately initiate face-to-face negotiations with the residents.
He stressed that the residents are ready to relocate if there's an official agreement ensuring they can move in once the homes are completed.
Previously, 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 (TPPT) - 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 developer Melati Ehsan Consolidated Sdn Bhd 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. - Mkini
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