16/04/2009 The Star By Stuart Michael

SIX years ago, 88 units of houses for former squatters in Taman Selayang Mutiara Phase 2C2-2, formerly known as Kampung Bukit Botak, were supposed to have been completed. However, the former squatters, who had been evicted to make way for the project, have been left in the lurch and are at a loss as to where they stand.

They had, in 2001, signed an agreement with the project developer, Delpuri Corporation Sdn Bhd, to buy the houses, priced at RM42,000 and RM69,000. The agreement stated that the houses would be completed by 2003.

However, the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) took over the project in 2005 and is now asking the buyers to pay RM80,000 for the units.

Kampung Bukit Botak village head Mohana Rengasamy said the agreement that the former squatters signed was between the developer and themselves. “There is no agreement between us and PKNS,” he said adding that the units were 80% complete but the buyers were unable to shift in.

“Basic amenities like roads, water and electricity supply, drains and the sewage system have not been completed. Despite this, the buyers still want to shift in and complete the basic amenities themselves.

“The buyers are also unhappy as they had paid the downpayment of 10% and have had to rent a place to stay while waiting for their houses to be completed. This costs about RM500 a month, adding to their burden,” Mohana said at a briefing for the former squatters at the MCA multipurpose hall in Kampung Kok Doh in Selayang last Saturday.

Mohana distributed a statutory declaration form to the former squatters for signature. The form stated the buyer’s willingness to accept the house without the basic amenities, and to pay the downpayment for the house to the bank, if they had not already done so.

Housewife Puspah Mayalagoo, 62, who has lived in Kampung Bukit Botak for 26 years, said she couild not afford to pay for the house now that the price had doubled.

“Since being evicted from my house in 2001, I have had to rent another house for RM500, and the developer did not reimburse our rental as agreed when we signed the agreement. It is a burden to me, and we still cannot shift into our houses after all these years,” she said.

Krishnan Sinnappan, 52, who has lived in Kampung Bukit Botak for 12 years, said he had paid the 10% downpayment for the house and was unhappy over PKNS’s decision to raise the price to RM80,000.

Delpuri Corporation Sdn Bhd general manager Ler Chang Koi said PKNS had told the developer to move out of the area in 2005, and that the developer had not abandoned the project.

“But, after three years, PKNS itself was unable to finish the job and pushed the blame to us, saying that we had abandoned the project.

“We are willing to complete the project. However, we need to get a letter of consent from the PKNS or the state government,” he said.

Selangor local government, study and research committee chairman Ronnie Liu said Selangor housing, building management and squatters committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad was looking into the issue and residents could bring their grievances to him.