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Saturday, April 18, 2015

Segambut Estate families’ costly mistake leaves them homeless

The residents' longhouses illegally built on Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd's reserved land. – The Malaysian insider pic by Noel Achariam, April 18, 2015.The residents' longhouses illegally built on Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd's reserved land. – The Malaysian insider pic by Noel Achariam, April 18, 2015.
Desperate to have their own homes after they were told that they were being evicted, a dozen families in Segambut Estate in Kuala Lumpur hired a contractor to build a row of houses not far from where they were currently staying – only to discover that they had made a huge mistake as they had built their homes on Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad's (KTMB) reserved land.
The families have since been issued a notice to tear down the partially completed houses as the reserved land is used as a safety buffer zone for the railway line that passed through the area.
"We were desperate and needed a place for our families. We knew that it was reserved land when we decided to build the homes but we had no choice," resident M. Vellayah, 65, said.
"We have used part of the money that was given to us as compensation by the landowner to move out. We have spent the money but now we have no choice but to demolish the houses," he said.
The families claimed they had been living for at least three generations in what was formerly the estate quarters.
They had been having sleepless nights for more than six months since they lost their case in the High Court last year and was ordered to move out as the land was private land.
An application to appeal the eviction order was supposed to be heard this month. However, the families managed to resolve the issue through an out-of-court settlement.
The residents had agreed to move out after receiving compensation from the landowner.
It is learnt that the landowner plans to build a driving school in the area.
Vellayah hopes that City Hall would consider providing housing for the families as they are now left with no homes and no money.
The families are currently staying in what was formerly the estate quarters. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Noel Achariam, April 18, 2015.The families are currently staying in what was formerly the estate quarters. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Noel Achariam, April 18, 2015."We are in desperate need of a place to live. We hope that City Hall will look into our request as we have nowhere else to go," Vellayah said.
Another resident T. Anathurai, 60 said the families had nowhere to go if their homes were demolished.
“There are many families who have been living here for many generations. We will be lost if our homes are taken away from us," he said.
Segambut BN chairman Jayanthi Devi Balaguru hopes that City Hall would look into the request of the families.
"As the residents were living on private property, they are not entitled to low-cost housing. However, we hope that City Hall can make an exception and provide the families with PPR units," she said.
Jayanthi said that earthworks had already started next to the families’ homes.
However, she said the landowner had allowed the families to stay in the area until they find new homes.
Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan said that it was not City Hall's policy to provide low-cost housing to those who were squatting on private land.
"We are aware of the issue at Segambut Estate and we can't provide those who are staying there housing," he said.
Loga said that it was up to the families to resolve their housing issues with the landowner.
"We can't be simply giving all the squatters on private land housing. We can only provide housing on humanitarian grounds if the families lose their homes in a fire," he said.
- TMI

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