BATU CAVES, Jan 29 — After 25 years of living in a squatter settlement, a family in Kampung Sri Makmur, Gombak, have finally embarked on their new chapter.
For married couple Razman Abd Rashid and Norita Mohamad, the hut built illegally on Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) land wasn’t just shelter, but a witness to the ups and downs of their lives for over two decades.
That life was tested when the couple received an eviction notice from the Shah Alam High Court on May 14, 2024. Then, their future appeared unclear, and anxiety haunted the small family.
But hope resurfaced when the state government, led by Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari, offered eligible squatters the opportunity to own Rumah Selangorku units.
Norita, 46, said the nerve-wracking wait finally paid off when her application for a Rumah Selangorku Seri Temenggung unit here was approved.
“Thank God, we finally succeeded. Thankfully, back then, my child had just started working and could help with the housing loan,” she added.
Now, Norita can sigh in relief. Her life, which was once clouded with safety risks, odour problems, and rat infestations, has been replaced with one that is safer and more comfortable.
She now lives in the Rumah Selangorku unit with her husband, who is a van driver for an electrical equipment store, and their two children, and enjoys a steadier life thanks to the state government’s concern.
Norita also urged urban dwellers like her to comply with eviction notices and be open to government initiative offers they receive.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Faizal Ismail, office manager for the Gombak MP, said trespassing or settling on government land is subject to legal action and eviction without recompense.
However, he said the state government would always pursue a humanitarian approach by offering alternatives through the Smart Sewa scheme and Rumah Selangorku ownership opportunities to those eligible.
“This offer proves Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari’s effort to sustain the state’s development agenda without sidelining implicated residents,” Faizal said when paying a visit to Norita and Razman to present them with a contribution from the Gombak MP’s office recently.
