Kampung Railway settlers submit memo to MP

PKR MP Nurul Izzah Anwar received the memorandum and urged the government to compensate the settlers adequately.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Kampung Railways settlers from Sentul submitted a memorandum to MPs at Parliament today.

This was a follow-up to the memorandum they sent to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on Sept 25 to get their homes gazetted as an Indian heritage site.

“Development should not be done at the expense of heritage. I hope Keretapi Tanah Melayu [KTM] can offer them adequate compensation for their losses,” PKR MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

Also present were DAP MP Teresa Kok, Federal Territories and Selangor Community Association coordinator Lena Hendry and the settlers action committee communications director Jaison Alex.

The 31 families at Kampung Railway Sentul are the fourth generation of Malayan Railway workers who have been residing in Jalan 12, Sentul Pasar, since 1886.

It is said that the area is the last remaining Indian settlement in Kuala Lumpur.

YTL Corporation Bhd was reported to have bought the land in 2002 from KTM and served an eviction notice on the settlers.

When the settlers refused to vacate their homes, YTL Corporation filed a court case on the matter.

Nurul, who is also PKR vice-president, urged the government to reveal details on how the land was sold to YTL in the first place.

On a related matter, Alex claimed that Najib had issued a letter to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib to have a dialogue session with the settlers but nothing has come forth.

“We have lived there for generations. We had always paid quit rent to DBKL all these years and this is how they treat us. Are we just some dirt to them?” asked Alex.