Kg Sungai Baru residents in 'do-or-die' push as protests fall on deaf ears

The residents of Kampung Sungai Baru in the heart of the capital city have resolved to fight any attempt at eviction or demolition following a series of protests and objections which have so far gone unheeded by the government. 

The Kampung Sungai Baru Residents' Rights Committee, speaking on behalf of the residents, said the authorities had ignored the ongoing legal process, and questioned the government's refusal to intervene towards finding a solution. 

It said those in Kampung Sungai Baru who were getting along in years could lose their homes if no resistance was made to the demolition. 

"The situation now is critical. Bulldozers have entered the area and are carrying out demolition work," it said in a statement announcing the launch of a new campaign.

"This is happening despite the ongoing legal challenge. The Madani government has yet to intervene to find a solution to this problem that has long plagued the people due to the government's move to acquire the land by force."  

Details on the campaign will be announced in a special press conference tomorrow. 

MalaysiaNow understands that various NGOs and groups have joined hands with the residents and activists, who are determined not to budge in the face of the bulldozers. 

"This is a do-or-die campaign, and we will defend this land which is our heritage until the end," one of the residents told MalaysiaNow. 

Kampung Sungai Baru entered the spotlight due to the impasse between the developer and the residents who have refused to relocate.

Landowners have declined the compensation offered by the developer and are opposing the government's use of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 for the development of the area under the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation.

They also disagree with the amount of compensation offered, saying it is not in line with market prices given that the area is just minutes away from the Golden Triangle and KLCC – some of the most developed areas in Kuala Lumpur with a property value of more than RM1,000 per sq ft.

The residents previously submitted a 1932 document clearly identifying the land as Malay agricultural land or MAS, a status under British colonial administration that laid out protection and strict conditions against any land acquisition.

Last month, lawyer N Surendran urged the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to acknowledge its mistake in taking over the land through the Land Acquisition Act and to use its powers to negotiate a "new and better deal".

Surendran, the legal adviser of the Kampung Sungai Baru Residents' Rights Committee, said Kampung Sungai Baru remained Malay reserve land as its status was never revoked whether through a two-thirds majority in Parliament or a revocation document submitted to the land office. 

He suggested several solutions, including the provision of better replacement housing and market-value compensation appropriate to the land's location in the capital city.

He also proposed the involvement of government agencies such as the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) to include residents in development plans. 

PKNS was the original holder of the master title for the strata ownership homes in the Kampung Sungai Baru flat area before it was transferred to the current developer.