Kampung Baru lies in the shadow of the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers, but the Malay enclave may soon have a shine of its own.
Prime Minister Najib Razak recently announced that the government will redevelop the enclave of old houses sited among narrow streets in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
He promised that the plan will include the participation of the residents, but knows he has to tread carefully when talking about the 110-year-old enclave.
Plans to redevelop the area had been announced at least three times previously, but residents and land owners objected to the compensation offered.
Said Mr Haji Ali, 62, who owns a nasi lemak stall in the area: ‘Land owners should be paid the market value of RM2,000 (S$825) per square foot, which is the rate of other properties in this prime area.’
Previous developers offered only RM300 to RM350 per square foot, he added.
Kampung Baru is Malay reserve land, which means it can be sold only to Malays, making it hard to develop.
There is also the issue of land ownership, as some of the lots are owned by as many as 200 people.
This happens because, under Islamic law, the land is passed on to other heirs after an owner dies. Thus, the number of owners can multiply in a hundred years.
There were also attempts to turn Kampung Baru into a tourist attraction, but the project failed to catch on.
With a population of about 35,000, the village is rich in Malay history.
Umno founders held their meetings there. Today, Malay grassroots groups often gather at the famous Kampung Baru mosque to protest against current issues.
The roads, dotted with Malay food stalls, are narrow two-way streets with parked cars taking up one whole lane.
Political analysts said the project would be a good move for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) as it would attract the vote of urban Malays if Mr Najib can successfully redevelop the area.
‘All the previous prime ministers, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his 22 years, failed to do it,’ Professor Shaharuddin Badaruddin of Universiti Teknologi Mara said.
The village falls under the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat in the Federal Territory of KL. Previously under the BN, it fell to opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia for the first time in the 2008 polls.
But they warned that Datuk Seri Najib must tread carefully to avoid a possible backlash, as Kampung Baru holds sentimental value for most Malays.
Political science lecturer Agus Yusoff also said the government must be careful when compensating the land owners and developing new buildings.
‘They have to be careful or there could be unhappiness and a backlash later,’ he said. ‘If possible, the land owners should still be the owners of the newly developed property.’
Another problem is changing the mindset of some of the old residents, who would not be able to accept changes, said businessman Arbain Yahya, 50.
Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, knowing the hurdles ahead, said land owners stand to receive up to
RM4 million each upon accepting the redevelopment concept plan proposed by the government.
He said the value of the 80ha of land is RM20 billion.
He added that the government is looking at the possibility of introducing laws whereby if 80 per cent of residents in a particular area agree to development, the 20 per cent who disagree must accede to the majority.
Fast facts
Location: The 110-year-old village is less than 1km from the Petronas Twin Towers.
Size: About 80ha, the size of 60 football fields, with 35,000 residents.
Restrictions: It is Malay reserve land, which means it can be sold only to Malays.
Problems: Difficult to develop because there are about 1,000 landowners, each owning small plots.
Attractions: Famous for its nasi lemak and Malay food stalls.
Source: Straits Times, 17 Feb 2010
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