Kg Papan Does This Sound Like A Scam

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The Kampung Papan settlers in Pandamaran, Klang, have lived here since pre-Independence in 1939 - first as new villagers, and later as temporary occupancy licence (TOL) holders between 1968 and 1989.
Today, they are being labelled as illegal squatters by developers and even in court statements.
To make this long story short, here are the defining moments:
•⁠ ⁠1992 – The state government began plotting and surveying the land with the settlers. Each settler paid RM70 for the survey and was assured this was being done so they would eventually be granted the land.
•⁠ ⁠1995 – The Selangor government transferred 95 acres (38.4ha) of this land to the Abandoned Housing Project Fund (Tabung Projek Perumahan Terbengkalai), whose role was to build houses for the settlers. The fund became the new landowner.
•⁠ ⁠2007 – The fund brought in a developer, Melati Ehsan Consolidated Sdn Bhd, and granted them power of attorney over the same land - again, with the stated purpose of building houses for the settlers.
•⁠ ⁠2020 – During the Covid-19 period, Melati Ehsan used the law to evict the settlers, labelling them as illegal occupants.
•⁠ ⁠2024 – Now, Melati Ehsan intends to return 11 acres (4.5ha) of the land to the Selangor government so that the state can build houses for the same settlers.
Kampung Papan villagers during a recent protestLooking at this chain of events, one must ask - why did the Selangor government give the land to the housing fund, who then brought in Melati Ehsan, only for the developer to later return part of the land back to the government?
One excuse repeatedly used by the fund and Melati Ehsan is that the settlers are “manipulative” and had previously been given RM42,000 low-cost housing units. We strongly contest this claim.
All low-cost housing allocations are managed by the Selangor Housing and Property Board (LPHS). If the settlers had made double claims, there would be evidence - and they should rightly be denied.
Moreover, a government-conducted survey identified 211 settlers. Two former menteris besar had promised them landed property at a price of around RM99,000 each.
181 original settlers
The Selangor Economic Action Unit meeting on Feb 28, 2018, chaired by the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office, concluded that 181 individuals were the original settlers.
Of these, 123 settlers from the original Kampung Papan were to be offered 20 x 70 terrace houses at RM99,000, 58 were to be offered Selangorku Type B houses (800 sq ft) at RM99,000, exempted from standard Selangorku conditions, while around 30 families with existing site structures were to be offered medium-cost market-priced homes or Selangorku Type B units.
While the High Court ruled in favour of the developer, the case is still pending appeal. We await the grounds of the judgment, which are yet to be written. The settlers are clearly the victims here.
Now, back to the Selangor government: Under the previous BN administration, then-menteri besar Khir Toyo introduced a zero squatter policy.
Former Selangor menteri besar Khir ToyoSince Pakatan Rakyat and later Pakatan Harapan took over, the policy has been that squatters or settlers must be relocated before their houses are demolished. This is definitely a more humane approach for B40 communities.
I now put the ball in the court of the current menteri besar, as well as DAP MPs and assemblypersons who have long been involved with the Kampung Papan settlers.
Many former Kampung Papan leaders were also DAP members. Have they gone soft on the developer? I ask this simply because it seems now that Melati Ehsan is calling the shots.
A protest was held on Thursday to stop the eviction on Monday, and a meeting with Selangor housing exco Borhan Aman Shah provided some light.
He assured them that only empty units will be demolished, and the government is working with the developer to provide houses.
Whatever it is, the settlers must not be bullied. Their rights must be prioritised over profit. - Mkini
S ARUTCHELVAN is PSM deputy chairperson.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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