The six pioneer families of Kampung Sungai Kerandang will be taken care of when the Selangor state government moves to resolve the existence of an illegal enclave at Bukit Tarek Forest Reserve, Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim indicated yesterday.
He said in a statement that the state will definitely assist the deserving, but would not entertain those who are taking advantage of the matter.
“Those who deserve it will receive assistance from the state government… We reckon there are several quarters who are trying to discredit state government but we will continue to resolve [the situation] professionally,” Khalid (left) said.
Komunitikini understands that Khalid is referring the occupants of the area who are not originally from there but have occupied the land to grow commercial crops.
A stand-off occurred last week when 250 officers from the Selangor State Forestry Department, the police, and the Hulu Selangor District Council and Hulu Selangor Land Office, entered the village to demolish 36 structures, a madrasah and a community hall.
This was only halted after Hulu Selangor MP, P. Kamalanathan intervened, and the state environment exco member, Elizabeth Wong, instructed an enforcement officer to only clear the crops.
Khalid’s press secretary, Arfa ‘eza Abdul Aziz, confirmed that the six families will either be given a temporary occupation licence (TOL) or be relocated to another place.
“We will not deny their rights because they are the genuine settlers whose livelihoods solely depend on the land,” she said, adding that the families only occupy 12 acres of land.
She added that a demolition will not take place until a solution is found.
“We are demanding an explanation from Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) on how a madrasah came to be built without any approval for it being granted,” she said.
Kampung Kerandang an illegal enclave
Khalid noted that he would seek an explanation from the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department on how an access road was built on an illegal settlement, and how its electricity supply to it came to be connected to the national grid by TNB.
He said the state government does not have any record that shows the enclave as a legal settlement.
“There is no recognised village head or JKKK in this enclave. Besides, the Selangor Forestry Department has confirmed that no approval was issued for any structure in the place,” he said.
He however conceded that the previous government, through the district land office, had issued a temporary occupation licence (TOL) in 2001 to some 375 families, albeit this being legally unjustified.
The TOL was not renewed after it expired in 2004, he added.
In 2007, the area was gazetted as Malay reserve land in exchange for piece of land in Kuala Langat being regazetted for commercial development.
He claimed that some 700 people, some of whom were the TOL holders, then applied for land title through Umno leaders but that the state government did not have any information on such applications.
“We will release a name list of TOL holders for 2001 and those who were proposed to receive TOL. We advise those who would like to withdraw from getting TOL to contact Hulu Selangor District Office directly,” he said.
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