Kampung Sungai Baru residents left homeless ahead of Hari Raya

An aerial view of Kampung Baru, a 220-acre village nestled in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Kampung Baru was established by the Federated Malay States and recognised as a Malay community settlement through the Selangor State Government Gazette on Jan 12, 1900 through the Malay Agriculture Settlement Reserve.

The master plan of Kampung Baru, reprinted in 2013, showed the settlement extending to Campbell in Dang Wangi. However, part of the land was removed from the plan discovered by residents in 2014.

The land acquisition issue in Kampung Baru has been ongoing since 2016. It involves 67 units of terrace houses and 264 flat units. Residents there were slapped with eviction notice in exchange for compensation in July 2021.

The Kampung Sungai Baru flats consist of eight blocks in total. These flats began to look rundown after some of their occupants moved out. Others were forced to leave in mid-2024, when the developer cut off the supply of electricity and water.

A note expressing frustration by the residents, pasted on a wall beside the eviction notice.

Halijah Mat hangs clothes to dry in the corridor outside her unit. While others around her have moved out, she remains as she cannot afford to go anywhere else.

House owners chat with their neighbours in the flats about the fate of their homes.

A sign informing the public about the application to demolish the flats in Kampung Sungai Baru.

An aerial view of Block D, which has already been torn down by the developer despite the ongoing court appeal brought by the residents.

Zainab Alias (centre), chairman of the Kampung Sungai Baru Residents' Sponsoring Committee, with Rafidah Ibrahim and Kampung Sungai Baru resident adviser, Muzzafar Razman (right).

Muzzafar briefs reporters about the Kampung Baru land and answers questions about its status as a Malay agricultural settlement.

Three blocks have been torn down by the developer so far, which residents claim was done against the law.

Zainab (second from left) presents a memorandum of protest to PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, accompanied by several MPs from opposition pact Perikatan Nasional.

The residents were also invited by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to speak about their problems at the Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

Mahathir also went down to Kampung Sungai Baru to see for himself the situation on the ground.

Zainab (left) explains the situation to Mahathir. The residents had been told to vacate their premises by March 16, just a few days before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Rafidah stands in front of the block of flats where she grew up together with her brothers and sisters.

Ibrahim Khalil and his nephew Mohd Yusof Raduan try to think of where to go once they have been evicted from their flat.

Ibrahim checks the solar panels on the flat roof, installed just last year after the electricity and water supply was cut by the developer.

Ibrahim reminisces about his childhood, and the many Raya celebrations held at his home.

Another resident was forced to move into the corridor after the electricity was cut, but ended up sharing Ibrahim's solar energy for his daily needs.

A closer view of a flat in Kampung Sungai Baru being torn down despite the opposition from the residents there.

Amal Ibrahim packs her late mother's belongings after receiving the eviction notice from the court.

She carefully wraps the breakable objects in bubble wrap to keep them safe during the move.

She keeps things tidy and organised so that she will have an easier time unpacking them once she arrives at her next home.

Amal carries some of her belongings past her neighbour's unit, which has already been emptied. Tonight, she is staying at a friend's house but after that, she will be on her own.

Amal sits on a piece of rubble outside Block B where she had lived for decades.

Block F is razed to the ground despite the interim order given by the court allowing the residents to stay until a decision is reached.