Temporary reprieve for families at Kerinchi flats

By NOEL ACHARIAM|KUALA LUMPUR|streets@nstp.com.my

FINAL CALL:The 34 families at the flats have been given a week to hold a meeting with the authorities to resolve their problems

FAMILIES at the dilapidated four-storey Kerinchi flats, who were due to be evicted yesterday, have been given a temporary reprieve.

The 34 families have been given one week's notice by the Federal Territory Land and Mines office (PTG) yesterday to hold a meeting with City Hall housing department and the PTG to find a suitable time for them to vacate their homes.

The families were initially ordered by the PTG to vacate their homes by yesterday to make way for development in the area.

Kampung Kerinchi pro-tem action group chairman Mohd Idrus Tukiran said the families would discuss their relocation plans at the meeting.

"The PTG will be calling for a meeting and we will have to wait an see the outcome of the meeting," he said.

Idrus said the families had agreed to move to the low-cost housing in Puchong but they wanted to have a look at the condition of the units first.

"We need time to go and check the units and see if there is water and electricity. It is not easy to pack up overnight and move out of here," he said.

Idrus also claimed that City Hall had delayed handing over the keys to the low-cost flats to the families.

"When we checked with City Hall two days ago, they said our units were ready but they didn't have the keys for us yet. How are we to move if there are no house keys?"

Their delay in moving out, however, prompted former Kerinchi flats residents who had moved out two years ago to hold a protest in the vicinity of the Kerinchi flats yesterday. Angry words were exchanged, resulting in a minor scuffle between the protesters and the residents who were still staying at the flats.

Police, who were present since early morning arrested a protester who was violent. After the incident, the riot police were called in to monitor the situation.

Kampung Kerinchi residents committee chairman Ahmad Rahman said the 344 families who had moved out of Kampung Kerinchi flats to make way for the development were angry with the families who were refusing to move out.

"It has been two years since we have moved out. How long do we have to wait? Our new homes could have been ready by now," he said.

The families that have moved out are waiting for the developer to build six blocks of 20-storey buildings in the area. The families will each be given a unit at the new development. This was the agreement that was reached between the families and the developer two years ago.

The families who moved out are temporarily living at low-cost housing around the Kerinchi area.

Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing deputy secretary-general Datuk Adnan Mohd Ikhsan, who was present at the flats yesterday, said the keys for the low-cost flats in Puchong were ready and the families could collect them from City Hall.

"There was a slight delay in handing over the keys because we had to fix up the units, but they are ready now. The families can come and collect them," he said.

Adnan also said the developer had started demolition work at the empty flats.

"Demolition work has already started and we hope the families will move out. We can give them a five-day extension period if they commit to moving out. We have our lorries on standby to help them shift out," he said.

It was previously reported in Streets that a court decision had awarded each of the 35 families RM73,000 of compensation and were given a two-week notice to vacate their units. One of the families has since moved out.

The families had initially asked the PTG to allow them until July 1 to move out as it was more convenient for their families to sort out new schools for their children. However, PTG is not keen in giving further extensions.

The families will be holding a meeting with City Hall housing department and the Federal Territory Land and Mines office soon. Pic by Intan Nur Elliana Zakaria

The demolition work in progress. Pix by Intan Nur Elliana Zakaria Intan Elliana

Idrus claims that City Hall had delayed handing over the keys to the low-cost flats to the families.

1 / 3

Temporary reprieve for families at Kerinchi flats

FINAL CALL:The 34 families at the flats have been given a week to hold a meeting with the authorities to resolve their problems

Leave Your Comment