Is the Selangor MB from Barisan Nasional?

Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is displaying "UMNO" or "BN" characteristics ....He said he want to follow what Khir Toyo was doing.. He is showing a definite "pro-developer" or "pro-pemaju" kind of behaviour, which is "anti-Rakyat" (anti-people). All they wanted was power -- and to do that did they deceive the people saying that they are different...but are they really? He speaks of urban pioneers (peneroka bandar) as squatters - that is the word and language of the BN government. He talks about "zero squatter policy" as though the urban pioneers are scum or some kind of 'disease' that needs to be erradicated - he must apologize now to those urban pioneers....the rakyat. They cleared the land built their homes and settled down , and have lived there for so many years. Some have been deceived into believing that they are the owners of their land as they did buy the land and house...and when towns expanded, suddenly the State Government (oh yes...land is a State Matter) branded them "squatters" - a term so very negative --- so very demeaning that the progressive do not use the term anymore. If that land belonged to some other then maybe the solution would have been to give them land/house... Was this now Menteri Besar also working for the Plantation Companies in management that closed down plantations and dumped their former workers and their families out with no home and land ---- and many of these also ended up as "squatters". PERMAS is kind - I say immediately apologize to the people -the poor - the urban pioneers, and I say that the Barisan Alternative may have to look for a NEW Menteri Besar... this man is embarrassing and is looking more and more pro-company pro-big-business pro-Rich kind of person day after day... PERMAS' open letter to the New Selangor Mentri Besar's statement on the zero-squatter policy* Firstly, on behalf of PERMAS I would like to congratulate you and the newly appointed Selangor State Ex-Co for being installed as the new Selangor State Government. We are truly jubilant for the recent victory of the Barisan Rakyat's electoral victory especially in the states of Selangor, Perak, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan. However we are suddenly thrown aback when we read in today's Malaysiakini report that you as the newly appointed Mentri Besar of Selangor stated that you will continue the policy of your predecessor, Mohd Khir Toyo to eradicate all 'squatter' settlements in the state. We are also very disappointed that you have made such as serious pronouncement as the Selangor MB without sufficient consultation and discussions with the wider community of resident groups, civil society organizations, and especially the urban poor settlements themselves about their housing and land issues. According to the report by the Malaysiakini report you said, "You can't allow people to become squatters in a state. There's the balance that we have to abide by." and "We want to accommodate the wishes of the squatters as much as we have to take into account the costs (incurred by) the developer,". This statement has a chilling effect and reminds us of the "pro-pemaju" kind of sentiments often expressed by the former Selangor State government under the leadership of Mohd Khir Toyo. The issue of squatters or urban pioneers is a very serious and complicated one and has been the subject of electoral campaigns and international concerns for the past few decades. In Malaysia especially, the issue of housing for the poor has always been rife with corruption, arbitrary inhumane evictions and demolition practices by the law enforcers especially in connivance with profit hungry housing developers. The question of ownership of land is not always straight forward. It is not enough just to ascertain the ownership of a piece of land by checking the legal status and then labeling the occupants on this land as "squatters." Take for instance if that particular community which has been residing on that particular piece of land for the past 30-40 years even before any private interest had laid claim on it. Then suddenly, the local council or district office, or state government agency decides to do something with that piece of land, sometimes from their own initiative or perhaps at the recommendations of certain business interests. They immediately label the people who have pioneered to that land as squatters and begin the process of their eviction. This is often done without due consultation with the people and as a result the compensations and relocation to alternative homes often do not reflect the interests of the people. Housing developers aided by local municipal and district offices arbitrarily push their decisions onto the people and their verbal promises are usually not fulfilled resulting in unpleasant confrontations and even violent clashes. PERMAS has been dealing with land and housing cases for the past 20 years and we have many actual examples and cases to show the complexities of this issue. For instance we are currently struggling with a case of 229 longhouse families in Rawang whose promised land has been arbitrarily taken by the Gombak District Office and the PKNS has built already built houses on it to sell it back to the people! We have taken a court case against the Gombak District Office and also the PKNS but the case has been postponed for the past 6 years! There are actually many different cases of housing and land where the developers have acted very irresponsibly and even criminally abusing state facilities, and ignoring basic human decency and rights of the people in their endeavor to pursue profits. One cannot just look at the business side of this issue and blindly "...take into account the costs incurred by the developers..." We are very disappointed that as the newly appointed Mentri Besar of a progressive party such as the PKR, you have made such general sweeping statements about "squatters". We recall very vividly that PKR and also its candidates have espoused very clear ideals and goals to support the "Rakyat's" human rights and needs regardless of race! The "Rakyat" put their energies, heart and soul and especially their votes in the last elections to deny the Barisan Nasional government a two-third majority in Parliament. Because of the "Rakyat's" votes, the Selangor government is now under the leadership of the PKR-DAP-PAS coalition. We understand very well that this is a new undertaking and it is really a very huge responsibility to be caring a state and making sure that all sectors are represented and care for without discrimination, whether they are rich or poor. We also understand that the issue of adequate and permanent housing is a very urgent issue. The process of achieving this status has to be done in close collaboration with the people, not only rhetorically but in actual practice. If the general aim to provide a house to everyone in the state would entail striving for a "zero-squatters" status in the state, then it may be acceptable. However if "zero-policy" status is pursuit because you believe that "You can't allow people to become squatters in a state" or that "we have to take into account the costs incurred by the developer,", then this is an anti-people policy! We would also like to urge you as the Selangor MB and the rest of the Ex-Co members to actively practice consulting with groups such as PERMAS who have been actively engaged in the struggle for adequate and permanent housing and land for the past 15-20 years. To this regard we would greatly appreciate it if you would immediately hold a dialogue with PERMAS as well as other civil society organizations regarding housing for the poor in Selangor and to explore possible approaches to address all issues in this regard. I sincerely hope that you and also the members of the Selangor State Ex-Co will not make sweeping generalisations and hasty judgments on matters especially involving the marginalized and the poorer sectors in our society. PKR-DAP-PAS were elected by the "Rakyat" to become the Selangor State government because of your very people-centered agenda, your pledges to defend the poor and fight for the rights of all Malaysians. Now is the time to show us that your government is indeed different from the previous one! Sincerely, Tan Jo Hann President, PERMAS 26th . March 2008 Permas: New MB's statements 'chilling'

Soon Li Tsin | Mar 27, 08 1:46pm (Malaysiakini)

The community residents' association of Selangor and Federal Territory (Permas) is disappointed with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s decision to continue with the ‘zero squatters’ policy. In a statement yesterday, Permas president Tan Jo Hann said Khalid’s "general sweeping statements" about squatters were uncalled for. "We are very disappointed that he has made such a serious pronouncement as the Selangor MB without sufficient consultation and discussions with the wider community of residents’ groups, civil society organisations and especially the urban poor settlements themselves about their housing and land issues," he said. In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini two days ago, Khalid said the new state government will not scrap the policy initiated by the previous government. "You can't allow people to become squatters in a state. There's the balance that we have to abide by. We want to accommodate the wishes of the squatters as much as we have to take into account the costs (incurred by) the developer," said the menteri besar. Tan said the statements have a ‘chilling effect’ and are similar to the 'pro-developer' sentiments often expressed by former menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo. "There are actually many different cases of housing and land where the developers have acted very irresponsibly and even criminally abusing state facilities, and ignoring basic human decency and rights of the people in their endeavour to pursue profits," he said. Tan revealed that he has communicated with Khalid’s political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. "We have spoken and Permas plans to mobilise 1,000 residents to gather outside the MB’s office next week to submit a memorandum. "Nik Nazmi also said that he will look into organising a meeting between Permas and Khalid. We are quite optimistic about collaborating with the new state government," he said. Proper methods will be used Contacted latter, Nik Nazmi said he had explained to Tan that certain statements made by Khalid could have triggered the concern of some quarters but stressed that the interview must be read in its entirety. "People became overexcited over several statements made but the interview must be seen in its totality and you can see that Khalid’s anti-squatter policy will be executed properly. "He (Khalid) has said he will reduce squatters through a proper method and he would not resort to the form of implementation done by the previous government," he added. Nik Nazmi also said that a date will be decided soon for a meeting between Permas and the menteri besar. On the planned gathering, he said: "Even if it is a protest, they are still free to gather outside the office but I am sure we will find room to discuss this matter." In the previous state administration, several squatter settlements were controversially demolished with the residents forcefully evicted in Kampung Berembang in Ampang and Taman Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam.