SENTOSA state assemblyman Dr Gunaraj George has dismissed claims that his involvement in the Kampung Jawa land acquisition dispute is politically motivated or aimed at winning support ahead of Malaysia’s 16th General Election (GE16).
He clarified that he only intervened after receiving complaints from residents about the allegedly aggressive actions of contractors appointed to vacate the land, which is part of the West Coast Expressway (WCE) development.
“This is not about politics or the general election. I was not involved from the beginning. Only when problems arose did the residents come to see me,” he told *Sinar Harian*.
“If I had known from day one, I would have paid attention earlier.”
Dr Gunaraj said his presence on the ground was to ensure that the eviction process was conducted lawfully and respectfully, without oppressing any party.
“I stepped in when I was informed that the appointed contractor was acting rather harshly. I urged them not to be hasty,” he said.
He also cautioned against framing the dispute in racial terms, noting that compensation varied based on market value and land condition, not ethnicity.
While some Kampung Jawa residents continue to resist relocation, others have accepted compensation packages and agreed to vacate their land in the interest of family stability and legal closure.
A resident, identified only as Punita, said, “Agreeing to move is the best step forward for our family’s future. We also want to respect the ongoing process.”
Another resident, Ramesh, said his decision to accept compensation was guided by practicality.
“Some are still waiting or disagree, but I believe it's better to move on.”
Kamala, a landlord who has already received compensation, said, “I didn’t want to overthink it. What I received was enough to start over with my children. At least now, life is calmer and more certain.”
The land dispute has delayed work on Section 3 of the WCE project for over 20 months, causing wider disruption to the RM7.07 billion project first announced in 2012.
According to Sinar Harian, 19 landowners have refused to vacate despite receiving 75 per cent of their compensation, following legal procedures concluded in 2023. Ownership of the land has already been transferred to the Federal Government via Form K under the Land Acquisition Act 1960.
The total compensation awarded is RM9.8 million, covering 33 owners based on official valuation by the Selangor Land Registrar and documented in Form H following a land hearing.
However, residents represented by Action Committee Chairperson Chandra Kumar dispute both the valuation and the transparency of the process.
“We’re not refusing to move — we just want fair compensation,” said Chandra, claiming that an independent valuer appointed by the residents had placed the land’s total value at RM32 million.
Chandra further alleged that many residents were never issued Form K and that amounts stated in Form H did not match actual disbursements. He cited an example of land valued at RM682,500 being compensated at only RM235,000.
“The total compensation amount is also questionable. We were told it was RM5 million, not RM9 million. Some landowners whose plots weren’t even affected by the acquisition were paid, which diluted the payouts for actual affected owners — some received as little as RM24 per square foot,” he said.
Chandra also criticised the lack of full disclosure to the state government and elected representatives.
“We found out during an emergency meeting with the Federal Land and Mines Office on 25 August 2025 that even Datuk Borhan Aman Shah, the Selangor State Exco, was unaware of the full details,” he added.
He said discussions had included a proposal to rezone the land for commercial use, but those whose land had been fully acquired were excluded from benefiting.
“To ensure fairness and transparency, we proposed that the state government acquire all 4.95 acres and provide equitable compensation to all affected landowners.”
Elsewhere, land acquisition for the WCE has proceeded without incident, following proper legal channels. However, the unresolved issues in Kampung Jawa continue to obstruct progress in a key section of the project. - October 9, 2025
