THE Selangor Land and District Office has been urged to intensify enforcement action to expedite the eviction of remaining occupants in Kampung Jawa, where delays continue to obstruct the final stretch of the West Coast Expressway (WCE) Section 3 project.
Legal expert in land acquisition, Koh Yew Chong, said the land acquisition process had been carried out in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act 1960, including valuation and compensation payments to all affected landowners.
“In principle, the land has been lawfully acquired and ownership has already transferred to the government. What remains is the physical vacating of the site,” Koh told Sinar Harian.
He confirmed that out of all landowners, only 19 families have refused to vacate, despite having received compensation, while the majority have handed over their properties to the authorities.
“In legal terms, once Form K is issued and compensation accepted, possession is considered to have been transferred. Those who remain are now occupying the land unlawfully — effectively, squatters,” he said.
According to Koh, the objections raised by the remaining residents are not about ownership but rather a dispute over the amount of compensation, which they argue is too low.
“They claim the land is residential in nature, but official records clearly classify it as agricultural. Even so, the government has shown goodwill by offering compensation above the market rate for agricultural land,” he said.
He added that the government has already paid out 75 percent of the compensation sum while awaiting the outcome of further claims.
Koh warned that continued refusal to vacate the area would only cause greater harm to others, including highway users and the wider economy, especially as the WCE is now more than 90 percent complete — with only a 150-metre stretch at Section 3 left unfinished.
“This issue could have been resolved by now with firmer enforcement. It is delaying a vital public infrastructure project,” he stressed.
As land acquisition powers fall under state jurisdiction, he called on the Land and District Office to take the lead in enforcing court orders and ensuring the completion of the expressway without further delay. - October 9, 2025
