KAMPUNG Baru landowners and developers have yet to meet to discuss the ongoing land acquisition issue despite Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim’s promise, said Khalid Abdul Samad today.

The Shah Alam MP said the minister promised to do so in a Special Chambers sitting in Parliament on December 13.

“Unfortunately, I was told by the landowners that they have not been informed of any meeting as promised by the minister so far.”

He said the second hearing to finalise the land acquisition process and make way for development will be held at the Lands and Mines Office on January 19.

“How can this happen when the minister has promised to postpone all processes related to the land acquisition and hold a meet between the owners and developers?”

He said this has left the landowners in a quandary, adding that Shahidan must take responsibility to fulfil his promise to set up a meet between the landowners and developers to iron out each and every issue.

Putrajaya used the Land Acquisition Act to secure the land for development, with a compensation of a mere RM400 per sq ft.

During the Pakatan Harapan administration, Khalid – who was then FT minister – had made an offer of RM850 plus RM150 per sq ft to the landowners.

He managed to get up to 63% of the residents to agree to the proposed purchase by the government.

The opposition, including then leader Ismail Sabri Yaakob, had at the time said the government cannot use the Act to develop Kampung Baru, except to build public facilities such as hospitals. – January 5, 2022.