Nasib Si Peneroka Bandar...
Peneroka bandar samada yang berkebun ataupun membina rumah kediaman dipanggil setinggan pada hari ini. Sedangkan ada di antara mereka yang telah berdekad tinggal menetap dan bercucuk tanam di tanah bukan milik mereka. Usaha mereka untuk mendapatkan geran ke atas tanah yang didiami juga seringkali menemui jalan buntu.
Foong Chow Lewong, 58 tahun, telah bertahun-tahun tinggal menetap di kawasan Kg Baru Ampang Bahru, Ipoh. Rumah papan yang beliau bina untuk dijadikan tempat berteduh mereka sekeluarga sudah cukup banyak berjasa.
Namun atas nama pembangunan, jasa dan kenangan yang terpahat pada dinding-dinding rumah ini, terpaksa dirobohkan.
Encik Foong akur pada peredaran zaman. Namun yang dipinta beliau adalah sedikit keadilan.
Bangunan kompleks yang sedang dalam pembinaan, bersetentang dengan rumah Encik Foong.
Memang Encik Foong sekeluarga tidak lagi tinggal di rumah tersebut, namun beliau membela ayam dan ikan hiasan dalam rumah itu bagi menyambung kehidupan beliau.
Kolam-kolam ikan Foong Chow Lewong
Encik Foong juga adalah antara 10 orang setinggan yang telah dibanci oleh Pejabat Tanah Kinta, Ipoh. Tanah tapak rumah mereka telah diberikan kepada Buntong Maju Sdn Bhd yang akhirnya berpindah tangan kepada Wan Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Jumlah RM2500 yang ditawarkan kepada Encik Foong dirasakan terlalu rendah.
Saya sendiri telah berusaha menemui tuanpunya syarikat Wan Holdings Sdn Bhd, Encik Lee Toon Hian dipejabatnya untuk diajak berbincang, setelah beliau tidak melayan panggilan telefon saya. Walaupun berada di pejabat, Lee Toon Hian tetap enggan bertemu dengan saya dan cuma mengarahkan kakitangan beliau berbincang dengan saya. Perbincangan kami menemui jalan buntu. Akhirnya saya mendapat tahu Encik Foong cuma ditawarkan RM1000 sahaja.
Siapakah Lee Toon Hian ini? Beliau adalah pemilik Wan Holdings Sdn Bhd dan merupakan saudara kandung kepada Dato' Francis Lee Yew Hean. Dato' Francis Lee adalah seorang Ahli Majlis dengan Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh dan juga merupakan Pengerusi REHDA - Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Malaysia ( Persatuan Pemaju Hartanah dan Perumahan Malaysia ) cawangan Negeri Perak. Wan Holdings Sdn Bhd dan Buntong Maju Sdn Berhad adalah juga anggota REHDA.
Pada pagi 12 Mei 2011, jentolak dan kakitangan daripada Wan Holdings bersiap sedia untuk merobohkan rumah Encik Foong. Namun niat mereka terbantut apabila menyedari kehadiran pengamal-pengamal media dan saya sendiri.
Jentolak awal-awal lagi telah sampai. Kelihatan kelibat para pegawai Wan Holdings.
Tapak kawasan rumah setinggan lama yang telah diterangkan.
Encik Foong Chow Lewong sungguhpun tidak berpelajaran tinggi, namun tidak gentar berhadapan dengan jentolak dan peguam yang dihantar Wan Holdings.
Sehingga kini kata sepakat masih tidak didapati. Tetapi kerja-kerja perobohan ditangguhkan buat masa kini.
Media daripada akhbar Bahasa Melayu juga 'concern' atas isu ini.
Menerangkan isu kepada pengamal media.
With Mr Foong Chow Lewong
Does a 'squatter' have any rights? Rights over lands which they have ploughed and toiled for years? Rights over homes they built and lived and brought up their children for decades?
In the name of 'development' can the authorities evict them out of their homes and livelihood without just compensation?
Malaysia is supposed to work towards 'Setinggan Sifar" ( zero squatter ) but that does not mean the government of the day can just bulldoze squatters out of their homes.
The squatters in Kg Baru Ampang Bahru, Ipoh have been around for decades. The piece of land which was once their home was awarded to Buntong Maju Sdn Bhd but later bought over by Wan Holdings Sdn Bhd.
There were 10 squatters initially. 9 have come to an agreed settlement but the amount offered to Mr Foong Chow Lewong 58, was only RM2500. Though Mr Lee no longer stay in the house but he has turned it into a place to generate income. He reared chickens and built fish ponds in the house.
I tried to have meetings with the Director of Wan Holdins Sdn Bhd, Mr Lee Toon Hian after my numerous phone calls went unanswered. But I failed to meet him although he was in his office when I came. Instead I was met by his subordinate who could not make any decisions in this matter.
Later I was informed, Mr Foong was offered only RM1000 with the 'take it or leave it' attitude.
Who is this Lee Toon Hian? He is the brother of Dato' Francis Lee Yew Hean, Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh local councillor. Dato' Francis Lee is also the Perak Branch Chairman of REHDA - Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Malaysia. Wan Holdins Sdn Bhd and Buntong Maju Sdn Bhd are members of this association.
REHDA has its code of ethics, read :
That it shall be known to all men that members of REHDA Malaysia are distinct by their integrity, reliability and fairness, this Code of Ethics shall serve to guide and inspire all developers to faithfully honour as well as observe the principles herein under stated :-
- to be guided at all times in dealings with clients, fellow developers and others by a sense of honour, fairness, propriety and mutual respect; and to strive for excellence in the daily conduct of one's business as well as maintain the dignity of the real estate and housing industry.
Mr Foong Chow Lewong decided that he wasn't going to take the RM1000 offered nor was he going to leave without a fight. And as his State Representative, it is my duty to assist him.
Mr Foong Chow Lewong, being interviewed by the media. Probably the first time in all of his 58 years of life. But this is his fight for justice, for himself and other squatters like him.
Seen here is the lawyer of the developer and policeman from Balai Taman Chempaka. And a couple of members from the Press.
Discussion with the lawyer bore no result. The developer however, withhold all work of demolition for the moment.
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