Kampung Sungai Baru residents turn to court over eviction, seek talks with govt

• On Thursday, an eviction operation in Kampung Sungai Baru turned chaotic, leaving Dang Wangi police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman bloodied as he was reportedly struck by a flying object as authorities blocked villagers from re-entering their own neighbourhood.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 12): A day after the fracas over eviction in Kampung Sungai Baru, the village’s residents are now turning to the court while keeping their doors open to talks with the government.

At the heart of the conflict is the Land Acquisition Act 1960, invoked by the Perikatan Nasional government in 2021 to seize the land and hand it over to developers, and the residents are seeking to challenge the law via a judicial review, said N Surendran, lawyer for the residents’ rights committee.

“The residents have been wronged under this law,” Surendran argued. “This problem wouldn’t exist if the Act hadn’t been used.”

On Thursday, an eviction operation in Kampung Sungai Baru turned chaotic, leaving Dang Wangi police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman bloodied as he was reportedly struck by a flying object as authorities blocked villagers from re-entering their own neighbourhood.

The residents, however, disclaim any involvement in the clash.

Actual residents were in their homes, said Muzaffar Razman, who is advising the task force of the rights of Kampung Sungai Baru residents, adding that external parties were responsible for the confrontation.

“We are also disappointed with what happened regarding the accident and the injuries involving the police,” he said.

The residents, meanwhile, are prepared to discuss with the government if the eviction squads stand down.

“We want the government to intervene immediately and order the developer to stop the evictions while we sit down and work this out,” said Surendran. “We’re ready to meet anytime, even this weekend, with federal representatives.”

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