TAMAN Rimba Kiara (TRK) longhouse residents in Kuala Lumpur, who have lived in wooden homes for 42 years, are still awaiting news of permanent housing for their families.
They said Segambut lawmaker Hannah Yeoh has been helping them try to secure 200 terrace homes for the 98 families in the area.
The residents are hoping all matters concerning their land status will be concluded by year-end so that the relevant authorities can start construction on their new homes beginning next year.
TRK longhouse resident association chairman M. Sivakumar said Yeoh informed them last year that the Federal Territories Ministry will take charge of getting housing for the residents.
“We want to make it clear; we are not squatters here. Our families are former estate workers. My grandparents and parents have contributed economically to the country.
“We left the Bukit Kiara estate for development, and they are making a lot of money while we are still staying here in wooden homes.
"We feel the pain as we watch developers build luxury condominiums and homes on the estate.
“We have been eagerly waiting for permanent housing for many generations. The government must sort out this matter as soon as possible.
“We hope YB (Yeoh), the FT Ministry, and the federal government sort out all issues by this year. If they can get all the approvals this year, then construction can begin, and we can expect to move into the new houses in 2026,” he told The Vibes.
The residents won a landmark case in the Federal Court last year against DBKL, Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan, and the developer, Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd, who had sought for the Taman Rimba Kiara project in Taman Tun Dr Ismail to be reinstated.
The Federal Court panel, comprising Chief Judge of Malaya Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, as well as judges Nallini Pathmanathan and Rhodzariah Bujang, confirmed with finality that the 2017 Taman Rimba Kiara development order is quashed and cancelled.
DBKL had approved the joint venture in 2014, when Barisan Nasional’s Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was the federal territories minister.
Residents had complained the project would destroy 10 hectares of one of the last few remaining green lungs in Kuala Lumpur. The joint venture comprised a mixed development project.
Under the Pakatan Harapan administration, the then federal territories minister Khalid Samad had negotiated for a scaled-down project comprising four blocks of service apartments and 204 affordable housing units, which the Save Taman Rimba group also rejected.
Sivakumar said since their court win, they have asked for 200 townhouses and Yeoh has told the residents that she will assist them.
He said the proposal to move into the homes was given to Yeoh last year to follow up with the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
“We have been informed by Yeoh’s office that this matter has been highlighted to the FT Ministry. They will have to look into matters such as securing the land, development costs, and other issues.
“We still have no direct contact with the FT Ministry as we are currently consulting with Yeoh. We will wait for Yeoh to assist us with the ministry.
“Being the MP for the area, Yeoh is the best person to consult with the FT Ministry. As a minister, it will also be easy for Yeoh to highlight this matter at the weekly Cabinet meetings.”
Resident P. Ravindran, 56, who was born in the estate, said that he has three grown children who have moved out from the longhouse because of a lack of space.
“We have lived here for four generations. We have been living in wooden houses for many years.
"Our children also want to see changes here for the families. My children left because this is a small house and can’t accommodate all their five children. Even though I’m living elsewhere, this is my village," he said, adding he hoped Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would also give this issue his attention. – June 2, 2024.
