Displaced Kampung Jawa folk decry treatment, paltry compensation

 

A group of 30 displaced residents met with representatives of the Federal Land and Mines Department (JKPTG) chief director earlier this week to submit a memorandum over what they allege is poor treatment and inadequate compensation.

The compensation concerns the acquisition of eight land lots in the Mukim Klang area located at Batu Empat, Kampung Jawa.

“The JKPTG was given the responsibility to be the intermediary authority in the management of land acquisition for the West Coast Expressway (WCE) project, (Taiping-Banting) Package 3 and interested parties on Land lots 15789, 15771, 10433, 10478, 11113, 9896, 9897 and 9879.

“The land acquisition process started in 2015 and we were called to the Klang Federal Land Office in 2017,” said the group’s representative, S Rajendran.

“At first, we were told that only the land compensation and the building would be paid by the WCE but after some time they agreed to pay compensation for the buildings, relocation costs and cost of lost income, along with land compensation. 

“We were given a period to carry out a compensation assessment through a chartered assessor.

“However, even though we submitted the certified appraiser’s market price, they only approved a lower percentage for building compensation, relocation costs and loss of income costs,” Rajendran claimed.

He said that forms were finalised with the issuance of Form H in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act 1960 in September 2017 with compensation content for land, buildings, relocation costs and loss of income.

However, he added, no payment based on that form has been made until today.

“According to the Land Acquisition Act 1960, there is a penalty of eight percent per annum for late payment from the date of issuance of Form H, but they didn’t pay any of this.

“Instead, over time, they claimed that there was an adjustment of the size of the land and that a new compensation agreement should be struck,” Rajendran claimed.

‘Only source of income’

He said that his group met three officers from the Land Office yesterday and has also met recently with Kota Raja MP Mohamad Sabu and Sentosa assemblyperson G Gunarajah to seek their assistance to resolve the matter.

Kota Raja MP Mohamad Sabu (centre)

A memorandum was also sent to the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office, but they have not received any updates.

“We have owned the land since 1983 and started building there in 1989,” said Rajendran, adding that more than 80 percent of the evicted residents were of Indian ethnicity.

“As long as our demands for justice and humanity are not implemented, we will not tolerate or cooperate with the party responsible for vacating our land and buildings. 

“Although we are not satisfied with the old compensation, we still accepted it as destiny for the good and progress of the state and the nation in general. Now, the compensation has also been denied to us.

“This is our only wealth and source of income in our old age,” Rajendran said.

KJPTG confirmed to Malaysiakini that they have received the memorandum but did not offer any further feedback.

Malaysiakini has also written to WCE for a response to these claims but has yet to receive its response. - Mkini