PETALING JAYA, 21 JUNE 2012 - The Selangor state government, in a swift response to an ultimatum by former Kampung KTM Railway Line residents, today offered them low cost houses.
Selangor exco for housing Iskandar Abdul Samad said the double storey terrace houses, in Taman Matang Jaya, would be offered to the residents for RM28,000.
Frustrated by the Selangor government's inaction to their two-decade old demand of land promised to them, the residents held a protest outside the state secretariate building yesterday.
They even issued an ultimatum and threatened to abstain from voting for Pakatan Rakyat in the general election after their request to meet to Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim was turned down.
Iskandar said the latest offer was endorsed by Khalid yesterday. "Another option for them is to purchase low cost flat units in Kuang for the same price," he said.
About 229 families of KTM Railway Line were evicted from their homes by the then state government in 1992 and were promised plots of land for them to resettle.
However, the land offered to them were sold off to third parties, leaving them in a lurch.
Iskandar said if the residents do not want to buy the houses offered, the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) would sell the houses for RM42,000 to outsiders.
"The difference of RM14,000 will be given to the former squatter settlers," he said.
On claims that some of the land promised were still available, Iskandar agreed that the plots were still there but said it would not be viable for the residents to take the land.
"It will be too costly for the residents to build houses there," he said
Iskandar also assured the residents that PKNS would only sell the low cost houses to them once the units are repaired.
Federal Territories and Selangor Community Association (Permas) coordinator Lena Hendry confirmed that the residents had been informed of the offer made by Iskandar.
"We had informed the residents and they will have a meeting over the weekend to make a decision," said Hendry - G. VINOD, FMT.
