One of Selangor's oldest and largest squatter settlements, Kampung Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam, had been completely cleared to make way for a mixed development project. There was no court order to demolish the surau or the temple, the police source told us that the order was from the Menteri Besar (Mohd Khir Toyo).
This was only achieved following a two-year court battle with a group of 270 families who have refused to vacate their squatter houses even after more than 900 others had done so.Currently the notorious Essential (Clearance of squatters) Regulations 1969 is used rampantly to demolish and evict settlers. These Emergency law is used as it is easy to execute and give little chance to the settlers to fight back legally.
The offer to the urban pioneers was made by the developer on 14 August 2003. Suddenly, the State Exco directs the MBSA on 7 October 2003 to demolish the houses. Which means that a space of less than two months after the offer was made, the landowner would have made an application to the local council or the SUK requesting it to demolish the houses.
On 6th. March 2007, 11 houses were demolished by the local authority(MBSA) in Rimba Jaya using this Act with the help from the police, FRU, MPPJ, MPK personnel and under the instruction from the Selangor Menteri Besar in spite a court of appeal case pending the next day. The settlers subsequently lost their case in Appeals Court under a 2-1 verdict and then appealed to the Federal Court which heard the case on 14th. Mac 2007.
ON 28 March 2007 ,in a surprising unanimous decision, the Federal Court at Putrajaya allowed leave to Rimba Jaya settlers in their suit against MBSA. The court felt that there is an issue of law which need to be resolved.The Federal Court agreed that there is an issue of whether Regulation 10, Essential (Clearance of squatters) Regulations 1969 is subject to and inconsistent with the provisions of Street, Drainage and Building Act, 1974 and Town and Country Planning Act 1976. 1969 regulation was meant to be executed under Emergency conditions and was thus not relevant under current conditions .
Prime media (TV3 etc) is not giving much coverage about this issue except some interviews with Samy Vellu who finally speak up about temple demolition, which came a bit too late and with dubious intention of fearing a slash back by Indian voters in coming election, and it proove costly for Sammy as he lost his seat in Sungai Siput.
30 November 2007;I must admit that this Kampung Rimba Jaya is a national birthplace for HINDRAF..How courageous ! I witnessed it firsthand! they were fighting against the "iron fist" and "SS Gestapo" who always wanted to demolish their temple including Kampung Rimba Jaya itself but to no avail. In the fracas, Hindus and Malays residents were badly injured, arrested and had their homes smashed to smithereens. Two of them, a 50-year old woman and a 16-year old boy suffered very serious injuries. Their clothes were soaked with their own blood.Four lawyers who attempted to assist the people at the police station lodge reports against the state government and relevant authorities were themselves physically abused by the police and then held in custody together with the detained residents. One of them was pushed to the ground, stepped on a policeman who pointed a submachine gun at him.Fifteen residents were also arrested and detained at the Shah Alam Section 11 police station.
(Use your brain..think rationally ok) (warning: do not use your brain situated at your kneecap!)
..it is barely weeks after Hari Raya..
..Deepavali is next week and that temple had served the indians community for ages..
..roughly 25-40 SPM examination candidate lost the roof over their head, revision book, school uniform +++
..270 Families lost their home with just a "notice "from MBSA (not a court order!) while waiting for Federal Court appeal..
.I am one of them..
Welcome to Apartheid land!
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