KUALA LUMPUR – The once quiet and peaceful village of Kg Orang Asli Bagan Lalang in Selangor may just be a thing of the past come May 20.
This is because the 20-year-old village inhabited by between 20 and 30 residents have been served two eviction notices to ship out within 24 days.
A quick check at the village had its residents going down memory lane, recalling how and where it all began for them. According to Tinya Anak Antan of the Mah Meri Tribe, she first stepped foot in the village overlooking Pantai Bagan Lalang some 20 years ago.
Life there began with her building a hut for her family to live in.
“I was originally from Kg Bukit Bangkong, an hour’s bicycle ride away,” said Tinya.
“I decided to build a hut here because it is near the food stall where I used to work as a cleaner.”
As time passed, residents from Kg Bukit Bangkong followed in Tinya’s footsteps and began building new lives for themselves at the village.
However, things began going south on April 20, when they were visited by the authorities.
“About 10 personnel from the police department and land office came to the village and handed out notices ordering us to leave,” said Tinya.
Notices served
The eviction notices were served by the Sepang Land Office and Permodalan Negri Selangor Bhd (PNSB).
The notices from the land office, directed to residents living on “state land near the General Operations Force hut”, stated that the villagers had committed an offence by building structures on government land.
It further reads that the residents could be fined up to RM500,000 or serve a five-year jail term, or both, if found guilty of the offence.
“Sir/Madam is required to empty or dismantle the structure on this land within 30 days from the date this notice is issued to avoid actions taken by the land administrator under Section 425 of the National Land Code,” the notice read.
Meanwhile, the PNSB notice accused the residents of trespassing and living on the land without the company’s permission.
“You are required to empty the land and return occupation peacefully to PNSB within 30 days of this notice, and all costs will be borne by you, and you are not allowed to seek any form of compensation,” the PNSB notice read.
This has left the Mah Meri Orang Asli in limbo as they do not have anywhere else to go.
“Yes, we are only temporarily occupying this land,” said Tinya.
“I thought we Orang Asli have the right to live where we want.
“But how can they give us only 30 days’ notice to move out and dismantle our structures?”
Who owns the land?
Another resident, Rahman Anak Atan, said he and his sister own the only double-storey house in the village, which took them more than two years to build.
Rahman, who was involved in a motorcycle accident last Thursday, said the eviction notice has come at a difficult time for him.
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He said while his sister can return to their parents’ home in Kg Bukit Bangkong, he has nowhere to turn.
“If possible, it would be nice if they could give me a house to live in if I have to move out.
“If I go back to Kg Bukit Bangkong, I will not have a place to stay as our family house will be too crowded.”
Meanwhile, Sg Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu said his office is looking into the matter.
He said when Selangor was under Barisan Nasional rule, a state-linked company PNSB entered into a joint venture with Avani, which operates the nearby Sepang Goldcoast Resort.
Therefore, Ronnie said, before his office can take action, it must first be determined who owns the land – the state or PNSB.
“We are getting conflicting information as to who owns the land.
“My office will first determine to whom it belongs.
“If it is state government land, it will be easier to handle the matter as we need to deal with only the state government.” – The Vibes, April 28, 2021
