Mohd Adam Abdul Aziz (second from left) handing over the memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's aide Azman Abidin during the event at Kg Sungai Baru, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday. - FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 260 Kampung Sungai Baru residents here submitted a memorandum to the Federal Government urging the Prime Minister to proceed with the redevelopment project at the site without further delay.
The memorandum, which also asked for a meeting with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to discuss the issue, was received by his political secretary Azman Abidin during a gathering in the area yesterday.
Mohd Adam Abdul Aziz, the group’s spokesman, said the issue has dragged on for nearly seven years without a solution in sight.
“We urge the Prime Minister to step in and listen to the plight of residents, majority of whom are in favour of this project,” he said.
The memorandum was in response to media reports that the redevelopment would be postponed to allow further negotiations between the developer and a group of residents who were opposed to the project.Mohd Adam said that the developer Ritzy Gloss Sdn Bhd had followed the due legal process and had already paid out the compensation to the residents.
Azman said he had met with all the stakeholders including the residents who opposed the redevelopment, the developer and Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
“The information will be presented to the Prime Minister to review and make a decision,” he said.
Ritzy Gloss is the parent company of Suez Capital Sdn Bhd, which is undertaking the redevelopment project.
Kampung Sungai Baru Property Owners Welfare Association chairman Zulfakar Wahid said yesterday’s gathering was to show that a majority of the residents supported the redevelopment.
“The government’s decision to postpone it gave the impression that our voices have not been heard,” he said, adding that nearly 90% of residents had agreed to the plan.
Kampung Sungai Baru is sandwiched between the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (Akleh) and Kampung Baru. It hosts 264 units of PKNS flats and 64 terrace houses – all located on a 5.23ha leasehold land owned by the Kampung Baru Development Corporation.
Early last year, controversy erupted after a group of residents protested the redevelopment plan, citing the low compensation value. The plan began in 2016, after which some 60 engagements were held until Oct 7, 2020, which saw 67% or 219 owners giving their agreement. But the project stalled as some residents refused to cooperate, which prompted the developer to use the Land Acquisition Act 1960 in 2021.
Last year, the Department of the Director-General of Lands and Mines (JKPTG) issued a notice explaining this process, after which 72 more flat owners gave their agreement, leaving 37 terrace homeowners who were yet to come onboard.
