The longer the issue of land title in Taman Kepong is dragged, the more impatient people will become, especially since the Minister of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing, Datuk Raja Nong Chik, had promised that this would be solved very soon.
The Land & Mines Office, which promised one-month deadline from the time the files from the Survey and Mapping Department (JUPEM) reach them, is also not keeping to its deadline.
The patience of the people can only be tested to a certain limit, as this affects their hard earned property deed of title.
This is clearly seen from the number of people who turned up to meet their local Member of Parliament, YB Dr Tan Seng Giaw. As time went by, more people turned up for the meeting with the MP, wanting to know the status of the title.
This, according to one resident, is an opportunity for them to meet their Member of Parliament in person. Some residents also took the opportunity to discuss other issues with Dr. Tan, urging him to highlight their complaints to the local authorities.
Others affected, too
Residents turned up from other housing estates as well, when they also discovered that they have a similar issue faced by residents of Taman Kepong. One resident from Kepong Baru said that she was also shocked to find out that her title carried the same status. "I cannot believe it is 'Hakmilik Sementara,'" she said. "How can the Prime Minister continue to talk about putting the People First, when our issues are being overlooked by the FT Land and Mines Office? This is a bane to the slogans that we hear so much about."
Another resident from Jinjang said she will encourage other people in her neighbourhood who are having the same issue. "We thank Dr. Tan for bringing this to the attention of the authorities," she said.
Some of these residents also have children who are living in other townships. One of them, whose mother is still living in Taman Kepong, said he decided to switch his voting station to Paya Jeras, where the constituency is held by Umno. "Because of this sore point, I am going to help the Pakatan people to campaign during the next General Election, just to deny the Barisan Government another term in Putrajaya," he vowed.
Voice represented, but will they hear?
Residents were generally pleased to hear it when Dr. Tan announced to the audience that he would raise their issue in the next parliamentary session when it meets in March. "This is in fact a national issue," he said. "I will raise your issue in parliament when we meet in March."
The longer the FT Land and Mines Office and the Survey and Mapping Department dragged this issue, the more angry people will become. The fact that 21 house owners have so far received the notice to change the qualified title to final title would not pacify some 200 residents who turned up at the Pemadam Office in Taman Kepong on Jan 23.
The question is whether the BN Government, which is currently under Najib Razak, will listen to the Member of Parliament of Kepong or will it continue to remain arrogant, indifferent and living in denial. Even the Malay Mail reporter who wanted me to say that I was pleased with the response received from the Minister of Federal Territories, I stopped short of saying it. "We will see," I told her. "We will see how long this issue will be dragged." I told her that the people will continue to hold the Minister and his ministry accountable until every single title is converted to final title.
One Housing Estate
Some Phase Two of Taman Kepong residents, who turned up at the meeting, were particularly not happy with the progress in their phase. One of them said that he will rally the people in his neighbourhood together in the next meeting. "We felt left out, when Phase One residents started meeting without informing us," he said.
However, Protem chairman of the Taman Kepong Action Group, M. U. Arumugam said that Phase One or Phase Two, the action committee would continue to pursue the issue until every single house owner is issued the final title. "However, we hope our Phase Two brothers and sisters will join us in our next course of action, which we plan to do after the Chinese New Year," he said. "As a matter of fact, we did not even know that Taman Kepong has two phases until the Land Office told us so."
For that reason, Arumugam argued: "Subsequently, we wrote to the Land Office with the help of the Member of Parliament to ask for further clarifications on Phase One and Phase Two. However, since the Land Office chose not to respond to the question, we take it that there is only one Taman Kepong, and with this, the Action Group will continue to campaign for the title with the help of our Member of Parliament --- until each and every house owner gets his or her final title! No one will be left out."
Arumugam said that residents of Phase Two who are concerned about the status of their Qualified Title can contact him at 016-2894355 and they should also organise themselves so that there is one representative for every road.
END