KUALA LUMPUR – Private property developer Ritzy Gloss Sdn Bhd’s application to erect wire fencing around properties in Kg Sg Baru, involved in its contentious redevelopment project, has been rejected by the Prime Minister’s Department.
According to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Datuk Azman Abidin, the application was submitted on October 31, the day when residents were supposed to have moved out of the area to make way for the project.
Land in Kg Sg Baru is considered government property, following the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration’s approval of Ritzy Gloss’ application in 2021 for the government to take formal possession of land in the Malay enclave, using the Land Acquisition Act (LAA) 1960.
“The developer (Ritzy Gloss) applied to set-up fencing, but we rejected (the application) because the land does not belong to them yet. Legally, the land belongs to the government,” Azman told Scoop.
“(Ritzy Gloss) has a legal right to apply for ownership of the land since, under the LAA, they paid a deposit of 150% of the land value. But, they have to follow the proper process to acquire the land from the government, which will involve amalgamating the lands first.
“Since the land now belongs to the government, no one (else), including developers, can touch residents who are still living there.”
Previously, Kg Sg Baru residents received numerous eviction notices from the Kuala Lumpur Land Administrator, the latest of which ordered landowners to vacate their homes by October 19. Azman previously told Scoop that the eviction date was pushed to October 31.
“Actually, we gave them (residents) up until October 31 to move out, but since the land now belongs to the government, we won’t force them (to vacate their homes),” Azman told Scoop on November 2.
“We’ll just send eviction notices informing (residents) that they’re living on government land.
“This is a normal procedure. We won’t take any enforcement action. No way the government will demolish homes to force out residents,” Azman assured.
Besides that, Azman also confirmed that the Prime Minister’s Department, which oversees Federal Territory matters after restructuring measures under Anwar’s leadership, had received a letter of intent from a company interested in taking over the project from Ritzy Gloss.
He added, however, that the government will not interfere in matters involving deals between private entities.
On October 29, the Kg Sg Baru Terrace Homes and Flat Owners Action Committee announced that it was approached by a number of development firms which had expressed their willingness to offer residents a higher compensation if they managed to take over the project from Ritzy Gloss.
“The interested developers have also agreed to provide a compensation of RM950 per sq ft to terrace and flat owners, a much higher value than the RM450 per sq ft compensation offered by the (Finance Ministry’s) Valuation and Property Management Department,” committee chairman Lele Suzana said.
“The compensation offered by the interested developers will extend to landowners whose homes were gazetted under the LAA, those whose residences were not gazetted and residents who have already accepted Ritzy Gloss’ initial offer.”
Yesterday, Scoop reported that Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani has urged the government to immediately commence the stalled redevelopment project as a supposed majority of residents in the area have agreed to its continuation.
Located just a stone’s throw away from the Saloma Link Bridge and the Kg Baru LRT station, Kg Sg Baru consists of 98 leasehold terrace houses and 264 flat units in eight blocks.
A total of 27 terrace houses and 192 flat unit owners took up Ritzy Gloss’s offer, while 37 terraces and 72 flats were subjected to the LAA.
Landed property owners argue that since the acreage ratio of their lands should be considered of a higher value, their vote in the matter should take precedence over flat unit owners in strata housing.
Local government expert Derek Fernandez previously told Scoop that Section 3(1)(c) of the LAA, which was used by the government to take control of Kg Sg Baru land, must be read with other sections of the legislation for eviction orders to be legally viable.
Failure to do so, he said, would raise doubts over whether residents are compelled to adhere to eviction notices issued by government bodies.
Scoop previously spoke to Kg Sg Baru residents, former federal territories minister Khalid Samad and a lawyer representing the action committee on the ordeal in the area. – November 3, 2023