Charles Santiago and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) are calling for the Selangor government to halt the demolition of vacant houses in Kg Jalan Papan, amid fresh fears that some 100 families would be forced out after a fresh eviction notice was issued.
Santiago, the former Klang MP from DAP, wants the Pakatan Harapan-led state government to “take ownership and protect the rights of the people and the agreement” ahead of the planned demolition on Monday.
He said according to an agreement made between the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government and TPPT Sdn Bhd – a property developer which was established to rehabilitate abandoned housing projects – these families were to be provided with a home if it were to take over the land.
The Selangor government had in 1995 transferred parts of the land to TPPT, a subsidiary of Bank Negara Malaysia.
In 2007, TPPT brought in developer, Melati Ehsan Consolidated Sdn Bhd, to build houses.
However, fast forward three decades later, the families in Kg Papan, Klang have yet to receive the promised two-storey terrace houses, which were to be sold to them at RM99,000 each.
A list of residents who qualified for the homes had been provided by Santiago to the then menteri besar Azmin Ali.
To add salt to injury, Melati Ehsan Consolidated had in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, obtained a court order to evict the residents in Kg Papan.
On Oct 23, however, the Selangor government said any demolition carried out in Kampung Jalan Papan, will only involve vacant houses and business premises.
But on Oct 27, the residents received a fresh notice to vacate their homes.
“What happened? Why are they facing eviction? PH is supposed to be a government that champions reform, but look at what they are doing,” Santiago said at a press conference.
Also present was PSM’s S Arutchelvan and a handful of Kg Jalan Papan residents.
Santiago lamented that the issue has dragged on for far too long, noting that the dilemma faced by the residents was a story of “two governments and three menteris besar”.
“This has been going on for 30 years and it is crazy. It can smear PH’s image. The Selangor government must step up and protect the people who voted for them,” he said.
He added that it has been almost a year since the court ruled in favour of the developer, but a written judgment had yet to be produced and this has made it difficult for the residents to appeal their case.
“The state government must also explain why they did not stop the developer from going to court,” he said.
Arutchelvan expressed concern that the eviction of the residents would go ahead, noting that a Facebook post by Klang Selatan police highlighted a meeting between the authorities as well as representatives from the Shah Alam court and Melati Ehsan Consolidated on Nov 6 to “coordinate an operation”.
He said that the way in which houses are built in the area, even if authorities were to demolish a vacant house it would affect the home of the residents.
Teoh Ah Guat, a resident who had lived in Kg Jalan Papan for over 30 years, wants the state government to settle the issue of where they will live next.
“If they settle this, we will agree to move out,” the mother of two said.
