KUALA LUMPUR:DATUK Hajeedar Abd Majid, at 74, counts himself as among the ‘sunset community’ of Kampung Baru here.
He has but one goal, which is to cash in on the ancestral plot of land he co-owns with eight siblings during his lifetime.
He said the consensus among the 5,000-odd landowners was to ‘sell and leave’.
The residents, he said, were weary of the tug of war.
‘It’s been 50 years since development of the enclave was first proposed and many masterplans have come and gone,’Hajeedar said.
But hope may now be around the corner.
The government recently revised its offer to buy their land to RM1,000 per sq ft, an improvement from its Sept 21 offer of RM850 per sq ft.
Hajeedar said the offer was an improvement, but most owners were looking for a full buyout, not a conditional offer with an allotment of RM150 in shares.
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‘They have to give us a realistic and implementable solution.
‘On their own, the landowners can’t develop nor amalgamate the land (to leverage its value).
‘If you compel them to participate in the development by way of the 15 per cent stake, who is going to solve the problem in the next generation, with all the inheritance issues already pending?’
One of Kampung Baru’s major issues is the sheer number of landowners. Some lots have up to 50 landowners, some have died, many others are embroiled in decades-long inheritance disputes, while a sizeable number have not even registered for land deeds.
‘The reason why we are doing this is to close the books according to the Islamic principle of fara’id.’
Hajeedar, however, said redevelopment plans had dragged on for too long and have been complicated by counterproductive statements.
‘There are social procedures unique to Kampung Baru that one has to understand. Third parties come up with ideas for us so the issue has continued without focus and the plans have not materialised.’
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad had previously told the New Straits Times that if the landowners rejected the deal, they could wait for the ‘next generation’ to accept it.
Hajeedar said some landowners were keen on staying put and developing the land themselves.
He, however, said the group was weary as the masterplan for the enclave was in its draft stage.
‘They fear building something on their land today only to be told tomorrow that it has to be taken down as it may be in breach of the masterplan,’ he said.
Currently, the highest permissible plot ratio is 1:10, as demarcated in the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020. Hajeedar said a reasonable plot amalgamation was also difficult to achieve as most of the landowners owned plots of 8,000 sq ft and below.
‘This means mixed development of apartments is difficult because there is not enough land for the car park.’
He said the price of newer apartments in the area, such as Uda Legasi and Rah Residensi, was more than RM600,000 a unit, beyond the affordability of most residents.
Landowner Shahrom Mohd Harom, 74, said Kampung Baru folk were worried that the plans would yet again fall by the wayside.
‘My sister is 83, my friend’s mother is the same age. They are at death’s door. We have yet to see an offer by way of documentation.
‘The Kampung Baru Development Corporation is still not up to the mark unlike other development authorities,’he said.