Kampung Segambut Permai villagers evicted, houses demolished
by Theleaders-Online | December 24, 2019 7:23 am
KUALA LUMPUR: Two families in Kampung Segambut Permai today could only stand and watch as Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) demolished their houses after they were told to vacate the premises when all efforts to negotiate failed.
The two homes were among a number of houses in Kampung Segambut Permai which are considered as illegal settlements in the area.
Earlier, the police came and cordoned off the area while hundreds of villagers gathered to stop DBKL.
However, the villagers failed to stop DBKL from demolishing the two houses. Even senior citizens were not spared from the ruckus that followed.
On Dec 9, the land owner, which is reported to be a private company, issued eviction notices to the villagers and tried to demolish their homes but was stopped by the residents.
It was said that the land initially belonged to Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) but it was transferred to the private entity in 2012.
The village, which used to be known as Kampung Ayam, was opened by the elders of the villagers for occupancy back in the 1960s.
Earlier this month, Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh mediated a negotiation between the land owner and settlers but the talks fell through.
It was also said that the private company had announced that it has no obligation to compensate the villagers after demolishing their homes.
Commenting on the matter, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary general A Sivarajan said the villagers were dissatisfied with what was offered to them during the negotiation.
“On Dec 9, the villagers were supposed to move to Public Housing Scheme (PPR) houses as alternative housing.
“However, the villagers were livid when they found out that they can only stay in the PPR housing for only six months.
“The offer was impractical. The villagers need permanent homes, not half baked solutions,” he said.
In an update, Sivarajan told The Leaders Online that the court bailiff and the land owner had instructed DBKL to demolish the other houses as well.
By Irman Hashim
Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/kampung-segambut-permai-villagers-evicted-houses-demolished/