Residents say demolition notice unlawful

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ, 8/10/2010)
THE remaining 38 former workers at Batu Estate in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur are determined to stay put in their homes despite a demolition notice issued by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) on Tuesday. The notice expires on Oct 12 and demolition work will be carried out anytime after that.

Vijaya Veeran, 33, said the residents would not move out as the matter was not handled fairly, and evicting the residents was not right. “We received notice from the enforcement department asking us to move out but we are not squatters. “All we are asking is for low-cost terrace houses to be built here or at a nearby piece of land,” he said at a press conference at the site yesterday.

Also present was Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng. Lim questioned the validity of the demolition notice as it involved private land and DBKL could not order people to move out. “This is not state land so DBKL cannot issue such notices. What’s rightful is for the landowner to get a court order to evict the residents. “The matter is pending in court and nothing has been resolved as yet, so what’s the hurry in trying to get these residents off the land?” said Lim, who urged the residents to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission against DBKL for sending out such notices. He added that he would be meeting with Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M. Saravanan on Monday to request that he meet with the residents.

When contacted, DBKL stated that the developer had sought its help to issue the notice and that the cost of demolition would be borne by the company.