Media Conference Statement 
by DAP National Publicity Secretary and Shadow MPPJ Chairman, Ronnie Liu 
after assisting dissatisfied Kg. Penaga urban pioneers in their bid to seek better relocation terms and conditions to make way for a development project, accompanied by DAP MP for Seputeh, YB Teresa Kok, her special assistant, Khong Chee Seng and DAP political officer, John Chung 
in Kg. Penaga, Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya 
on July 17, 2002, 10:00 a.m.

TD Management Must Demonstrate Greater Social Responsibility to the Urban Pioneers of Kg. Penaga

The DAP calls upon TD Management, the developer company involved in a development project in Kg. Penaga, Petaling Jaya, to accede to the demands of dissatisfied urban pioneers (peneroka bandar) residing there who are forced to relocate to make way for the said project.

For over 30 years, the Kg. Penaga urban pioneers have been occupying the land marked out for development without any disturbance. While the residents are not against the development project by TD Management to construct low-cost apartments and are in fact prepared to be relocated to Lembah Subang (the location designated for their interim placement), they are, however, dissatisfied with the unfair terms and conditions of the relocation agreement set out by the developer.

The disgruntled residents are therefore demanding for a more favourable set of relocation terms and conditions through their residents' welfare association, namely Persatuan Kebajikan Penduduk Sejati Kg. Penaga, led by
its chairman Abdul Muin. 

The residents concerned are particularly irked by the manner in which the entire relocation process had been carried out. There was no discussion whatsoever between TD Management, the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ), The State Assemblyman for the area, YB Mokhtar Dahlan and the residents of Kg. Penaga.

The dialogue held on June 18 at a local community hall was more of an occasion of directives and threats, which placed the residents under a state of duress, compelling them to adhere to the relocation terms and conditions stipulated and frightening them into not making any protest. As a result, many had signed the agreement without full understanding of the details contained therein.

The displeased residents are equally disconcerted by the fact that prior one-sided negotiations were held not with the legally registered residents' welfare association - which should have been the case - but with the UMNO Development Bureau, which was preferred by the developer, MPPJ and Mokhtar, purportedly to represent the interests of the residents.

Clearly, the entire manner of "negotiation" with the residents is suspect and does not fully take into account their welfare. Considering the unsatisfactory relocation terms, the Persatuan Kebajikan Penduduk Sejati Kg.
Penaga, the rightful representative of the residents, makes the following demands from TD Management:

1. No deductions should be made from the RM1,000 relocation compensation given by the developer.
2. The two-month house rental deposit and maintenance fee amounting to RM596 should be borne by the developer.
3. RM50 bus fare allocation (per child) should be made for school-going children of the residents.
4. The relocation process should be delayed until the end of the year during the school holidays so as not to cause undue hardship and inconvenience to the school-going children.
5. Privilege of every affected household to purchase one unit of low-cost house in the original residence (Kg. Penaga) at a reasonable price after the completion of the housing project.

As advisor to the Kg. Penaga residents' welfare association, I urge the developer, TD Management to be more conscientious and adhere to the residents' demands, which are not unreasonable. The Management should be
reminded that social responsibili ty should not be neglected in the name of development. The residents of Kg. Penaga, who are the original urban pioneers and dwellers of the said development area, certainly deserve better.