KUALA LUMPUR – The rain trees and stalls along Jalan Sambanthan 3, Brickfields that city dwellers have become accustomed to for the past three decades may be just a thing of the past.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has told them that it wants the area cleared within 25 days from April 5. However, this has not been done by the traders operating in the area, since they have sent a letter to DBKL requesting for an extension of the eviction notice.
Among the traders, Assuntha Letchimanan, N. Krishnandass, Lachemy Munusamy, Draviasahayarju Rajarethinam, and Valarmathi Serangam have filed a suit against DBKL over the eviction.
According to their statement of claim filed on May 10, the traders were given eviction notices on April 5 and told to vacate the land by April 30.
However, according to their lawyer Arivom Namasivaya, the traders have yet to leave their premises.
“They haven’t left their stalls. Their eviction came under short notice, and we sent a letter to DBKL on April 26 requesting an extension.
“But we have yet to receive a reply from them,” Arivom told The Vibes.
He also said that the plaintiffs are concerned about the 40-year-old rain trees along Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3, as there may be plans to cut them down.
“They are seeking an additional order from the court to protect the trees from being cut down, in addition to their claims for a declaration that their eviction is wrongful under the law.”
Furthermore, based on the filing, the stall operators were invited to a town hall session by DBKL concerning the land in which their commercial activities took place.
DBKL personnel explained that the land on which these traders were operating on belongs to YTL Land and the Railway Assets Corporation, and both companies have obtained permission under a joint venture agreement to develop Menara RAC Sentral.
“The plaintiffs state that when the Railway Assets Corporation requested permission to develop the land, DBKL should have considered the fate of the plaintiffs, the other stall operators, and the rain trees along the road.
“Additionally, the plaintiffs would also like to assert that the defendant (DBKL) acted in bad faith during the process where it approved the development project, which has already affected the lives of the stall operators and trees along Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3,” the statement of claim said.
The plaintiffs explained that they are from the B40 group and depend on their trade along Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3 for their income, especially now as the Covid-19 pandemic has caused many to suffer from the affected economy.
“Furthermore, for more than 30 years they have traded and paid licensing fees for their stalls where the defendant (DBKL) benefited from those payments,” the statement of claim added. – The Vibes, May 17, 2021
