Residents livid over second eviction notice

Despite instruction from the state government, the Petaling land office issued a second eviction notice to the residents in Kampung Muniandy.

PETALING JAYA: Eight buyers of the stalled Block E low cost flat project in PJS 1 received a second eviction notice from the Petaling land office on Wednesday.

The notices were sent despite assurance by the Petaling Jaya City Hall (MBPJ) that the buyers would not be evicted until the state government found suitable temporary housing for them in a nearby area.

The latest notice, signed by assistant district officer Abdul Shariz Izwan Abd Shukor, said that officers could come anytime to evict them as the deadline given in the first notice had expired.

On July 21, the land office issued the residents from the Kampung Muniandy squatter settlement eviction notices under Section 425 of the National Land Code.

It said that the residents were squatting on government land and were given 14 days to vacate the area. The deadline expired on Aug 4.

The residents highlighted the matter to the state government and MBPJ in a meeting on July 29.
Present at the meeting were Taman Medan state assemblyperson Haniza Talha, Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sean and state exco Iskandar Abdul Samad’s's aide, Mahyuddin Ismail.

MBPJ then sent a letter to the land office on Aug 4 urging it not to evict the residents till temporary housing was provided.

‘Build our flats’
Block E buyers residents association committee chairman M Sugumaran said he was upset with the new developments as he thought the matter was resolved in August.

In his correspondence with MBPJ’s deputy director of development Zain Azly Abdul Rahman, Sugumaran was informed that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had instructed the land office not to vacate the residents.

Zain had said that he would arrange another meeting for the residents with Khalid to resolve the matter.
“We just want the problem to be solved. If the government plans to move them to the longhouses, at least repair the houses first as many are in bad condition,” said Sugumaran.

One resident, wheelchair-bound A Selvarajah, 47, said he was frustrated that the government was trying to evict him without building the low cost flat he purchased about eight years ago.

“We keep getting notices but no one offered us alternative housing,” said the father of eight who has lived in the squatter settlement for the past 10 years.

However, Selvarajah admitted that MBPJ did offer him a place to stay at the Lembah Subang low cost flat unit but he rejected it.

“I have eight children who study here. My wife works as a helper at a nearby kindergarten. Lembah Subang is too far and moving there will increase our living expenses,” he said.

Selvarajah added that he hoped the government would also provide an assurance letter that it would build his flat as promised in June.

Another resident, R Karupayee, 69, said she hoped the flat she purchased would be ready for her grandchildren, who are in their 20s.

“My husband died before seeing our new flat and I don’t need it for long as I am too old. I just hope my grandchildren get the flat,” she said.