Study and redevelop the kampungs, says Harris
Published on: Monday, November 11, 2019
KOTA KINABALU: Former Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh (pic) suggested that the Government study, area by area, before implementing a plan to reorganise and redevelop the kampungs.
n most cases, he said it will be necessary to introduce land reforms by amalgamating all the lands and subdivide them into one or two-acre lots and re-alienate back to the kampung people.
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“With proper roads and drainage and land arranged in two-acre lots, the kampung people can economically start to move forward,” he said in a statement.
According to Harris, the Federal Government’s decision to redevelop Kampung Baru and Kampung Melayu in Kuala Lumpur is important and in the right direction to prepare Malaysia as a developed nation by 2030, as envisaged by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“This is going to be successful and should be extended to the whole country, not only in the cities or towns but also in the rural areas,” he said.
He said the Berjaya Government in the early 1980s started the redevelopment of Kampung Layang Layangan in Labuan, an area of 75 acres, which was disorganised with shabby looking houses in an unproductive area.
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The area was developed into a housing estate with six units of shophouses, he said, adding the land was valued at RM50,000 per acre and as some owners or holdings had more than two or three acres, they were entitled to one or two houses valued at RM40,000 for a single-storey terrace house and RM80,000 for a double-storey house.
He said most of the owners opted for the terrace houses and the balance in cash.
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“Out of the 30 to 40 landowners, one of them, an old lady with two acres almost in the middle had refused to join the scheme. She also campaigned to others not to accept and join the scheme and was willing to let the government bulldoze her house with her inside.
“Morris Perry, an Australian architect who was the manager, fully furnished a terrace house worth RM50,000 and encouraged her to visit the house. Perry told her she was entitled for two houses.
“Upon visiting and entering the house, she immediately agreed to join the scheme and accepted two houses, one for her to stay in and the other she rented out. In addition, she was also entitled to receive some cash payment. She subsequently became a campaigner for the government,” said Harris.
He said this housing estate at Layang Layangan was the first redevelopment of a kampung undertaken in Malaysia and proved very successful.
“Dr Mahathir launched the development in 1984. In his speech, Dr Mahathir said he was pleased the Berjaya Government had started kampung redevelopment and further stated if this could be done in Peninsular Malaysia, it would greatly help the redevelopment of kampungs in the cities,” he said.
He said based on the success of Kampung Layang Layangan in Labuan, the Berjaya Government started redevelopment on parts of Kampung Sembulan. The development was for 50 acres in the Sembulan area for the development of terrace houses and two sites for semi-detached housing known as Kampung Sempelang.
Between 100 and 200 houses were built at Kampung Sempelang, he said, adding the old area was vacated and developed into the water village that it is today.
“The redevelopment of Kampung Sembulan was similar to Layang Layangan in Labuan. The land was valued and since a large number of them had no land title, it was decided to accept the years they or their descendants had stayed at Kampung Sembulan.
“All was taken into consideration to offset the allocated new house of their choice – terrace or semi-detached two-storey houses. Any difference to be paid by either the government (developer) or the landowner. This was another success story. The houses at Sempelang are now reportedly changing hands for between RM500,000 and RM750,000 per unit,” he said.
Harris said in his statement on the future of Kota Kinabalu City published by Daily Express on Oct 7, this year, he had suggested that steps must be taken to redevelop Kampung Sembulan, Tanjung Aru and Likas to rid the city of slum areas.
“However, the State Government without looking into my suggestions for the benefit of the people of Kota Kinabalu had, instead, brushed aside and claimed I was out of touch with reality and had lost all vision.
“Keeping aside the State Government response, the majority of the people of Kota Kinabalu supported the suggestion kampungs in the city must be redeveloped at the same accommodating the Malays (natives) in the city area to provide workers.
“Furthermore, any development must ensure that Malay (natives) are not sidelined. That is all.
“It is not only the kampungs in the city and town areas that need redevelopment. If most of them are working in the city or town, they will have a steady income. Therefore, only their houses and kampung infrastructure will need upgrading in accordance with city plans and programmes,” he said.
Since almost everyone in the Kampung Batu and Kampung Melayu redevelopment will get cash payments and apartments (houses) after selling their holdings to the developer (government), he said these Malays will have no land for housing.
“Normally a family over the years who owns a plot of say 20,000 square feet would have more than 20 descendants. Therefore, the most they can only buy in exchange is one or two apartments for a family.
“Therefore, it is suggested that the government (developer) should find a 300-500 acre area within a 50km radius of Kuala Lumpur. This land can be acquired by the government from government-linked agencies the likes of Felda, Felcra, Risda or even the private sector.
“After all, these areas in no time will be part of the Greater City of Kuala Lumpur or Putrajaya. The acquired land can then be divided into one or two-acre lots and allocated (sold) to the people of Kampung Baru or Kampung Melayu. At least they have land to build a new house and to provide housing lots for their descendants. With one or two acres, they can also farm cash crops.
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