Bukit Bintang soon to be squatter-free

Site visit: Fong (centre, in white shirt) listening to the business owners’ complaints.

IF EVERYTHING goes as planned then the Bukit Bintang constituency will be a squatter free area soon.

MP Fong Kui Lun said the constituency only had three squatter areas – Kampung Brunei, Kampung Bugis and Kampung Kerayong C.

“Moving squatters to Public Housing Project (PPR) housing takes time but when it is all completed then Bukit Bintang will be a zero-squatter constituency,” Fong said when visiting squatter businesses at Kampung Thai Thung in Salak South recently.

The business owners, who had been operating at their premises for the last 40 years, were asked to leave by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for a new development project.

The owners, who have yet to find an alternative place to move to, were unhappy that City Hall did not give them enough time.

“Moving to a new place is costly, not only do we have to find a new place of business, we will also have to find a new place to live,” said acupuncturist Stone Koh, who stays at the Razak Mansion flats opposite his shop.

Koh's neighbour Ah Fook who runs a workshop said the few premises had been around for years.
“It feels like a family here, we meet and talk every day.

“If we move out, we will definitely not have time to meet again as many of us will choose to rent at different areas,” Ah Fook said hoping DBKL would postpone demolition plans to a later date.
On April 3, DBKL officers came to begin demolition works after issuing a one-month notice to the business owners.

“I had earlier sent a letter to DBKL director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup requesting for the postponement and it had been accepted, however, the enforcement officers were not aware of it,” Fong said.

A business owner called Fong, and he immediately made a call to DBKL to inform them of the request and the officers left the area.

He also said many residents living in the public flats had asked if they could buy the unit as promised by the government.

“Many have voiced out their wish to buy and I will bring up the issue during the round table conference and in Parliament,” Fong said.

There are about 15,000 PPR homes in Kuala Lumpur, each with a monthly rental of RM124.

拉薩敏申木屋區工廠 廠家要求展延搬

（吉隆坡5日訊）吉隆坡市政局官員上週突然到拉薩敏申木屋區工廠，以紅漆噴寫4月2日拆除，由于時間倉促，廠家紛紛向武吉免登區國會議員方貴倫求助，要求展延搬遷期，直至找到合適搬遷地點為止。

木屋區有逾10間工廠，其中7間遭市政局官員噴漆，指將于4月2日拆除。

方貴倫說，他接獲消息后聯絡執法小組，雖然當局沒有正面回答，但答應會延遲拆除行動。

他希望當局體諒廠家，給他們更多時間搬遷，以免造成損失。

“我已于4月2日時與政市政局總監會面，要求他們給廠家更多的時間物色地點。”

方貴倫今早在巡視該區工廠后說，上述工廠有逾30年歷史，廠家雖然在2002年及07年，兩次接獲市政局來信要廠家搬遷，卻沒通知會在何時拆除。

他指出，最近當局派員到該區逾10間工廠的其中7間噴漆，准備在4月2日拆除，由于時間太緊促，所以廠家向他求助。

“我會在下星期一與市長會面，討論有關問題，以協助廠家要求給更多時間搬遷。”

他說，據悉有關地段是要進行“老師宿舍發展計劃”，但卻未知何時開始。

他指出，由于木屋區工廠無法獲得賠償，若有關計劃尚未開跑，當局應讓廠家在找到適合的地點后才搬。

出售人民組屋計劃方貴倫將催促落實

武吉免登區國會議員方貴倫說，他會在國會中，不斷提出“出售人民組屋計劃”，以催促政府盡快讓人民居者有其屋。

他指出，政府在早前已宣佈該項宣佈，但卻遲遲未落實，因此他會在國會上不斷“提醒”政府。
“我在昨天與聯邦直轄區部長拿督朱哈斯南會面時，曾詢問為何尚未實行上述計劃，后者指出，會在近期內在人民組屋作出民意調查，尋求住戶意願及商討出售方式。”

他會建議市政局出售一半的組屋，讓當局維持現有的管理模式，這樣住戶就不需繳交管理或雜費。

他說，目前在武吉免登區中的木屋不足250間，包括甘榜柏邁、甘榜武吉及甘榜克拉蓉。

他指出，若政府的人民組屋全部竣工，相信政府的08年雪州零度木屋計劃可以如期完成。

-摘自中国报-