Flashback to StarMetro’s report on Aug 3.
THE remaining 37 houseowners in Kampung Sungai Baru, Kuala Lumpur have agreed to a settlement of between RM800,000 and RM3mil to move out to make way for development.
This ends a year-long negotiation over plans to redevelop the area which is part of Kampung Baru traditional village in the city centre.
The houseowners now have 30 days to move out after receiving the compensation from developer Ritzy Gloss Sdn Bhd.
Its public engagement director Abdul Hadi Ahmad said the residents could apply for an extension to stay on if they needed to.
“The 30-day notice is standard but residents could write to the Department of Director-General of Lands and Mines (JKPTG) to ask for an extension.
“Some are looking for a new place while others only want to move out at the end of the school term in February,” he told StarMetro.
Ritzy Gloss is the parent company of Suez Capital Sdn Bhd which is undertaking the redevelopment project.
When contacted, Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said some houseowners had requested for a six-month extension.
He noted that the redevelopment will now be under the Prime Minister’s Department, following the restructuring of the former federal territories ministry.
Johari said the issue of the residents was brought up during a meeting between Kuala Lumpur MPs with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Dec 22.
“I have asked for the houseowners to be placed temporarily at Kuala Lumpur City Hall housing,” he added.
StarMetro had reported on Aug 3 that the 37 houseowners had been given a three-month extension until Oct 31.
Kampung Sungai Baru had 264 flat units and 64 terrace houses on 5.23ha of land.
Owners of both the flats and houses would be given replacement units in the new high-rise development project.
The project began in 2016 but stalled as some residents refused to cooperate, prompting the developer to use Section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 in 2021, ordering them to vacate.
Early this year, JKPTG issued a notice explaining the land acquisition process, after which 72 more flat owners gave their agreement, leaving the last batch of 37 terrace homeowners who had yet to come onboard.
Kampung Sungai Baru Property Owners Welfare Association chairman Zulfakar Wahid said they were told the redevelopment was due to start in March.
“Many of us have had to rent elsewhere while waiting for our new homes to be built,” he said.
