Pejuang urges PM, Shahidan to withdraw land acquisition in Kg Sungai Baru

 

Pejuang is urging Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim to abolish or withdraw the Kampung Sungai Baru land acquisition, asking them to make an immediate decision so that a directive can be issued.

The party said the abolition of the land acquisition’s gazettement will provide space for discussion and negotiation between residents and developers in a more fair and transparent manner without elements of pressure, coercion and threats of eviction.

"In 2019, the then-opposition leader (and) current prime minister Ismail Sabri stated that the land acquisition process for Kampung Sungai Baru cannot be allowed.

"He had asked in the Dewan Rakyat back then, ‘How can land privately owned by individuals be taken for the purpose of commercial development? This contradicts the laws in our country’.

"Therefore, Pejuang urges the prime minister and the Federal Territories minister to make an immediate decision so that a directive can be issued to abolish or withdraw the gazetting of land acquisition under Section 35 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 or under other statutory provisions," said Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir in a statement today.

The statement was read by Federal Territories Pejuang chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan to reporters in front of the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya today.

MACC report lodged

Earlier, several representatives of Kampung Sungai Baru residents alongside Pejuang members lodged a MACC report on verbal allegations made by the developer's representatives toward the residents, claiming that the developer had spent almost RM42 million.

"Pejuang demands an investigation paper be opened by the MACC to investigate the use of the funds and whether there was any bribery, abuse of power and so on involving officials in the Federal Territories Ministry, Kampong Bharu Development Corporation and the Federal Territory Department of Director General of Lands and Mines in this land acquisition issue.

"The MACC investigation is necessary because MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki himself had, around April 10 last year, issued a statement over the increase of large-scale corruption cases as a result of the economic downturn brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has made bribery and kickbacks an easy way to get away from the pressure of rising cost of living and personal financial problems,” he added.

The Kampung Sungai Baru land acquisition issue involves 67 units of terrace houses and 14 apartment blocks known as Pangsapuri Sungai Baru. The land acquisition process began in 2016.

Last July, residents received a letter under Section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 which forced them to leave the land with provided compensation.

However, the residents, especially the occupants of the terrace houses did not agree with the compensation rate of RM400 per square foot - which was set by the Federal Territory Lands and Mines Office.

To date, 37 terrace house residents have disagreed with the compensation rates, while 27 other occupants agreed to the offer. - Mkini