(From left) Murugan and another resident, V. Ganesan, standing on the bridge in Kampung Ampar Tenang that replaces the temporary one which the villagers had helped to build. — Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
SOME 40 residents of Kampung Ampar Tenang in Dengkil, Selangor, claim to have been denied membership into the village’s residents association (RA).
One of them was K. Murugan, who has lived in the village all his life.
Murugan said his name, along with 41 others, were submitted to Persatuan Penduduk Kampung Ampar Tenang early this year.
“The names were submitted through a joint application that was passed to the association’s treasurer N. Ganesan.
“A couple of days later, we were informed that the application was rejected, without any reason given,” he said.
When contacted by StarMetro, Ganesan said the RA committee had concerns about the applicants’ motives.
Another rejected applicant was R. Arumugam, who once served as a Sepang municipal councillor.
He said many of the villagers were not aware of the RA’s existence, although it was registered five years ago.
Arumugam says several villagers managed to get this previously neglected burial site gazetted, for better management.
“I was never invited to join or attend any annual general meeting.
“Villagers, particularly the youth, have organised various events and welfare programmes even before the RA was established,” he said.
Arumugam said one of the villagers’ achievements was the gazetting of a once neglected burial site.
“There was no management and many graves were unmarked.
“It was a real concern for us but with the gazettement, we are working at managing it better.
“We have also pooled resources to improve infrastructure like roads and bridges, as well as organised community events,” he said.
He cited the villagers helping to build a temporary bridge last year following the collapse of the old one, with it being used for several months until a permanent bridge was constructed by the authorities.
Arumugam says many villagers are not aware of the existence of the RA formed five years ago.
Arumugam said the villagers had major plans to improve conditions in the village, especially its drainage and irrigation systems but that would require significant funding.
“We need an RA to spearhead initiatives, but the committee is not allowing us in,” he said.
“We tried to register a new RA with a slightly different name, ‘Persatuan Penduduk Kampung Baru Ampar Tenang’, but were rejected by the Selangor Registrar of Societies (ROS).”
StarMetro reached out to the Selangor ROS but had yet to receive a reply at press time.
A minimum of seven people are allowed to register as an association with ROS.
When contacted for comments on the matter, lawyer Derek Fernandez said alternative naming strategies might enable the rejected villagers to set up another association.
“You cannot have two associations with the same or similar name in the same area.
“A village called ‘Kampung Baru Ampar Tenang’ does not exist either.
“But the villagers can consider registering under the name ‘Persatuan Pemilik dan Penyewa Kampung Ampar Tenang’ instead,” he said.
