Villagers turn to Selangor MB following eviction orders

A total of 12 families who have been living in a village in Serendah, Selangor for over 40 years are still awaiting their fate following an eviction order, and are hoping for the intervention of the menteri besar.

A court officer assigned to enforce the eviction order in Kampung Koskan Tambahan failed to appear as scheduled this morning even as residents came prepared with banners to express their dissatisfaction.

Maszahar Hashim, the acting committee chairman of the village said that the residents wanted Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to provide documentation on the low-cost homes promised in exchange for their land.

"So far, he has only made announcements in the media, but there has been no letter to us. We have no problem accepting the promised houses," he said during a press conference today.

Maszahar said they have no other place to seek shelter if their homes are demolished in the near future. He added that the residents requested land grants as early as 2006 but were informed that the land is a river reserve.

However, a few years later, the residents discovered that their village land had become the property of a private company.

They also sent a memorandum to Amirudin during a recent Aidilfitri programme.

Mohamad Hanafe Basri, the land administrator of Hulu Selangor, said in a statement that the land the residents applied for is private land that has been owned since 133 years ago (June 1890).

"The original owner subsequently sold the land to Panca Resmi Sdn Bhd in 1991," the statement said.