DAP blames SUPP as 1,000 face eviction
By Joseph Tawie, Free Malaysia Today
KUCHING: More than 1,000 villagers from 156 families will lose their homes in the racially mixed Kampung Pasir Puteh next month when a private firm moves in to transform the area into a commercial district.
The DAP has accused the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) of being in cahoots with the developers.
“We have been told to move out or we will be evicted by next month,” said Juip anak Lanyot, who claimed he had lived there for more than 30 years.
He said the company had promised to pay a year’s worth of rent to any family willing to move to flats in Batu Gong here.
“If we refuse, the developer will come and destroy our houses and pay us RM2,000 per family.”
The land, which belongs to the state, is populated by Iban, Bidayuh, Malays and Chinese. Most of the family heads are lowly paid labourers and odd-job workers.
DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen, who is Bandar Kuching MP, told reporters that SUPP leaders, accompanied by the developers’ representatives, met the villagers three weeks ago and asked them to sign forms applying for flats at Batu Gong.
He alleged that they were forced into signing the forms and appealed to the developers to offer better compensation.
“Considering that these residents have been staying in the kampung for such a long time, it is the duty of the authorities to acknowledge their presence and to resettle them properly before approving or alienating the land for private development.”
