FOR close to 42 years, residents of the Seri Perlis 2 flats in Keramat Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, have tried to buy the public housing units that they are renting from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

They said their plight had been highlighted by the media but no action had been taken by the authorities.

“From Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s time in office up to the current administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – we have been fighting to own these units from the time of my father and now my children. Some of our neighbours have died and now their children are living here and still paying rent.”

“Letter after letter has been sent to authorities but no one has offered to help,” said resident Norhasimah Daud.

Yesterday, tenants held a press conference to urge the new government to help them become homeowners.

This comes after Anwar recently raised the issue of old housing units in Kuala Lumpur in a meeting with DBKL, citing the case of the Seri Perlis 2 flats.

He said the flats were old and that the residents should be given new homes and the buildings be demolished.

Residents were promised ownership by Dr Mahathir if they were able to pay rent for 10 years. 

Norhasimah said the residents should be able to own their units after paying rent for so many years.

“We want to negotiate with DBKL and the government. We are willing to pay a small amount to become homeowners,” she said.

The housewife said DBKL had failed to listen to their grievances.

“If I am not mistaken, during Najib’s time, he ordered DBKL to look into the matter, but I do not know what became of that.

“The matter was highlighted by a TV station but no one paid attention to us,” said Norhasimah who is the residents spokesman.

A retiree told The Malaysian Insight that he hoped the new government will help the residents.

The man, who wished to be known as Majid, said Anwar was once an activist who helped the poor in rural Malay villages.

“When he was young he was always stood with the poor and now that he is the prime minister, I hope he can help us.

“We are not asking much from the government. Allow us to own these homes. We do not ask to stay for free. The agreement was if we paid rent for more than 10 years, we would own these units, said Majid.”

About 300 residents live in the Seri Perlis 2 flats near the Kuala Lumpur city centre. DBKL is reported to be looking at redeveloping the area and could evict the residents. 

Trouble in Kg Sungai Baru

Meanwhile residents of Kampung Sungai Baru in Kampung Baru have been issued with an eviction notice.

A spokesman for the residents, Johari Zakaria said many were shocked to receive the notice from the developer as negotiations have not been settled.

“How can we be evicted when we have not agreed on the compensation? The amount we are getting is much lower than the profit that they are going to make,” said Johari.

He said residents will be seeking the Tambun MP’s intervention to quash the eviction notice. 

“The eviction letter was not a court order and was from DBKL. DBKL is now under the PM’s office and the PM has a direct say.

“We will send a letter asking the PM to postpone the process until we are able to get what we demand. We are asking to be treated fairly. We can move out, but give us what we deserve,” he said.

Previously, the residents had tried to get Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s attention when the Bera MP was the prime minister.

In April, The Malaysian Insight reported that households in the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) flats in Kampung Sungai Baru were refusing to move out even after an eviction notice was issued following a takeover of the land by a developer.

Those refusing the order said they will stay to fight for higher compensation than the RM250,000 offered per household in the high-value prime location facing the Petronas Twin Towers.  

As the last Malay reserve village in the middle of the city, Kampung Baru is iconic and dear to its residents and heritage conservationists who want to preserve the area’s cultural and historical significance.

Plans for its redevelopment have been controversial, involving disputes over the amount of compensation from developers and the aesthetics of new projects that alter the area’s traditional Malay look and feel. 

The PKNS flats, located near the Saloma Bridge, has eight blocks of 264 residential units and sits on 14000sq m of land. 

Land acquisition in the area started in 2016 when the developer, Ritzy Gloss Sdn Bhd, which is a subsidiary of Suez Capital Sdn Bhd, made an offer to develop the area through a joint venture with the residents. This was aimed at giving the residents a say in their relocation and development plans.  

As of 2020, the developer has  obtained the approval of 226 flat owners and 27 terrace house owners in the area. 

The development plans for the area include the resettlement of all flat and terrace house residents to new apartment blocks that are promised to be of high value. Luxury condominiums, offices and retail space would be built on the land to be taken over.  

Ritzy Gloss said the new apartments where flat owners would be resettled will be between 274sq m and 365sq m and worth between RM850,000 and RM1.2 million. – December 26, 2022.