E Contrario

I accompanied a group of residents from Kampung Simpang Batu to DBKL this morning (12 March). It’s another case of land struggle. Kampong was founded prior to Merdeka. Now DBKL claimed the ownership of the land and planned to build houses for its employees.

Last week, they received a notice of eviction. They were offered to move to public housing in Taman Wahyu Jinjang with RM1000 compensation. Their houses have been sprayed with red paint—earmarked for demolition by 15 March.

In DBKL, we met with an officer named Azmi from the enforcement division. The kampong folk reiterated their demand for land rights. They also stressed that moving into flats will basically kill their livelihood. They operate a small family industry producing ‘tempe’. Their children schooling will also be affected.

The discussion, as expected, went into dead end. The negotiation with DBKL (similarly in most cases involving ‘squatters’) can go nowhere as none of the officials have the authority to change any policy.

Finally, we ended the meeting without consensus. The only practical step mutually agreed was that DBKL would consider delaying the demotion if the residents write an appeal letter. I agreed to undertake the task. However I was also aware that we only forestall the problem, we still need to find way to challenge the seizure of their land.

My involvement with Kg Simpang Batu was only very recent. It started when I received a call from a resident early this month. He told me that the kampong will be facing demolition soon. He said the kampong people need help from KeADILan.

In my heart I sighed—another village trampled under the giant boots of development. On the phone, he said Umno had cheated the villagers and now they have nobody to turn to but KeADILan.

We are always the last resort. I hope we are the final solution too. But it won’t be easy.

I promised him that I would visit the kampong on Monday (5 March). Initially I arranged to be there at 17:00hr. Unfortunately, I was caught up with Kg Berembang’s sudden demolition.

I rescheduled to meet the kampong folk at 20:00hr night. It was a traumatic day for me. I was distressed enough with the war-zone imagery in Kg Berembang. I could visualize another round of tough fight.

In fact, I had scant idea to the whereabouts of the kampong. The guy on the phone (I am bad at catching people’s name over the phone) said that I have been to the kampong in the last general election. I still had no idea.

I was told I should enter the kampong from Jalan Kolam Air, off Jalan Ipoh. It was dark and rainy that night (5 March). I drove all the way through the housing area of Kolam Air, and most reached the end. I never expect there was still human habitat in this fringe area of the city.

I drove my car down a very stiff slope. The kampong was sealed off with tall fences. I passed through the gates, I was surprised to find a human settlement behind the fences. I felt like I had crossed the twilight zone. In darkness, I could only see dim light from wooden houses; it felt like a place deserted by urban life.

Anyhow I was guided into one of the houses. There were already a dozen of people—old, middle-aged, young teenagers or even little children—sitting in a circle, waiting for my arrival.

Their story was rather familiar. A nenek told me that she was a child when her father and uncle explored the place. A handful of them built the kampong on this swampy land on the river bank. They were government servants then—working with the Railway in Sentul.

For generations, they were Umno staunch supporters. They supported Umno and the government (previously in their eye there was no distinction). Some of them moved this area as the answer to the call of the government to increase Malay population in Kuala Lumpur. Now when their land value multiplied, they are kicked out.

They appealed to KeADILan to support them. They expressed their wish to become our party members if we could help their struggle. I thanked their willingness to join us, but reaffirmed that it is our obligation to be in solidarity with the oppressed. They need not exchange their support (in the forms of votes or membership) with our commitment to justice.

We will fight for the rights of the poor—regardless of which party they are members of.