Kg Baru re-development possible without Malays losing land right

By FMT Staff
SHAH ALAM: Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has urged Kampung Baru residents to revisit a re-development proposal which he had presented to them 15 years ago.
He said his suggestions offered an alternative development plan to that which has been proposed by Putrajaya.
Last Monday, owners and inheritors of properties in Kampung Baru had firmly rejected Putrajaya’s proposed redevelopment plans, saying that any work on Kampung Baru must ensure that Malay-Bumiputeras land owners retain 100% of their land rights.
“Since there are many ‘fans’ who want to be guardians of the land in Kampung Baru, I suggest the new project be abandoned,” said Khalid.
“I urge the residents to revisit and re-evaluate the suggestions I made about 15-20 years ago.
‘At that time I was asked by the government to structure Kampung Baru’s redevelopment. I had presented an alternative plan. Redevelopment can be done without the Malay’s losing their land rights.”
When reminded that Kampung Baru was now within the boundaries of the Federal Territories, Khalid said that Selangor still had an administrative responsibility to resolve the issue.
Kampung Baru was once a part of Selangor before the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur was formed. Before this PKNS (Perbadanan Kemajuan Negri Selangor) as an entity was responsible for the development in Kampung Baru.
But according to Khalid the laws which governed administrative rights were still in the hands of the Selangor Menteri Besar.
“It’s not that I want to interfere in the matters of Kampung Baru folk but I would like an opportunity to recap my earlier suggestions. This is so that Kampung Baru residents can experience development without losing their rights over their land,” he said, adding that he would meet with the residents next month to recap his earlier proposal.
“I will meet the residents in July, only to offer an alternative view. It doesn’t mean I can resolve their problems,” he said.