Lim (right) and other property owners showing the extent of the public road that actually belonged to them at Jalan Bukit Desa. — Filepic
OWNERS of 14 terrace houses affected by the long-standing encroachment at Jalan Bukit Desa in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur, have received compensation of about RM6mil.
Datuk Edmund Lim received the highest payout of nearly RM1mil last month.
He said compensation received by the affected house owners, whose land was used to construct a public road, ranged from RM350,000 to RM950,000 each.
The compensation was calculated based on the square footage of the land, current market value and additional costs incurred by them due to loss of land.
The payout by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is the culmination of a protracted dispute that drew public attention after Lim blocked a section of the road in front of his home in protest.
The case involved 21 lots in Jalan Bukit Desa, including the 14 terrace houses.
“I am relieved that this matter has finally been put to rest.
“While I would have preferred to get my land back, this compensation was the only viable solution.
“I hope this serves as a reminder to local authorities, developers and landowners to practise due diligence when it comes to land use and property boundaries,” said Lim.
StarMetro first highlighted the issue in 2022, after Lim placed a 3.04m x 6.09m steel container on the road for two weeks and cordoned off the site with traffic cones.
DBKL officers had, at the time, requested Lim to remove the obstruction.
In October last year, Lim once again blocked the road, citing DBKL’s failure to address the matter.
This time, he used construction barriers and signs to show how much of his land had been encroached upon.
He engaged a land surveyor who verified that his land was 1,009sq ft smaller than it should have been, due to a miscalculation by the housing developer.
After the affected residents met with DBKL last January, the local authority initiated legal proceedings in June to acquire portions of the private land on Jalan Bukit Desa, where the road had been constructed.
In October, residents received a compensation award notice from Federal Territories Lands and Mines Office (PTGWP) and began receiving the funds late last month.
In a statement, DBKL said it had submitted an application for land acquisition through PTGWP, Federal Territories Department and Lands and Mines Department director-general for approval to begin the process.
DBKL confirmed that lots 43137-43151, 43152, 1566, 1567, and 43154-43156 were involved in the acquisition and gazettement as per sections 4 and 8 of Land Acquisition Act 1960.
