PUTRAJAYA’S revised offer for land in Kampung Baru is not up to the landowners’ expectations, Kampung Baru Landowners and Heirs president Mashuti Mat Soom said today.

Mashuti told The Malaysian Insight the owners wished to to rebuild Kampung Baru on their own terms with the help of the government, but the latter was only interested in their land.

“Are we to give up our valuable village land in the middle of Kuala Lumpur just because the government has made us an offer?

He said that although the land was to be sold only to Malay Muslims, the quiet area will become densely populated when it was developed. 

“There will be many problems and the situation will grow out of control.”

What will a 15% discount for property here mean then in such a situation, he said.

Putrajaya has made a new offer to Kampung Baru folk, upping it to RM1,000psf from RM850 psf for their land.

The government seeks to buy the land to develop the last Malay reserve enclave in Kuala Lumpur.

Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad who presented the new offer today said the additional RM150psf offered with be in the form of equity in the special purpose vehicle overseeing the development of Kg Baru.

The sellers would get a 15% discount when they purchased property in the new development, he said. 

The new offer is the best and final offer, Khalid said.

Mashuti said the problem was that the government had never taken into account the views of the owners in its efforts over the years to develop Kampung Baru.

“Since 1965, when the grant was given, the government has tried to develop Kampung Baru. The owners were offered RM100psf but they rejected it.

“All the offers made by the government have never taken into account the opinion of the owners. The owners have never been included in any of the planning for the development of Kampung Baru,” said the former village chief.

Kampung Baru resident Zainudin Ismail said the government’s new offer had only added to the confusion.

“The new element of equity is unclear. Who is in charge of the investments? What if the stocks fall?

“If a land lot is owned by up to 30 heirs, for example; is every one of them eligible to buy a home at 15% off?” he said.

He is also worried that the offer of a home at a discount would result in a repeat of the situation in  a previous Kampung Baru legacy project.

“The residents were given a quota to buy property in the project but only a small percentage of them were able to afford the houses.

“But in the end, when they submitted their applications to buy, many found they were not eligible,” he said.

Landowner Azreil Amlir, 49, said the government should not offer the same price for land of differing value.

He suggested that the government allow the owners to hire independent valuers to find a price that was acceptable to both sides.

“The families have already discussed the government’s offer. We feel that our land is worth more than the offer price because of its location,” he said.

“Land along the coast is not of the same value as land in the middle of the forest, for example. The government’s offer price needs to be reviewed.

“It’s not that we don’t believe them, but let there be (a second opinion for) comparison so that everyone is satisfied,.

Azreil also suggested that the government allow the landowners to develop their own land.

He urged the government to also consider the current economic climate, especially in the property sector.

“It’s not looking good. So is this the right time to embark on a mega development in Kampung Baru?

“We are afraid that if the Malays do not buy, the government will open the development for sale to non-Malays and foreigners.” – October 24, 2019.