Villagers are protesting against future development in the area as it will erode cultural and traditional values as well as disrupt the people’s way of life.
For Laila Husin, 64, who has been living in Janda Baik since she was 5, any development in her village would be detrimental to the villagers’ quality of life.
“My house is located at the roadside and if the road-widening project continues, I’m afraid I will lose my house.
“Where are my future generation going to stay when they return to their kampung?
“I will never support the project,” she said at her home in Ja-lan Sungai Cemperoh here.
She said no amount of compensation would make her part with her land. “This land is worth my life,” she said, holding back her tears.
Laila said she would agree only if the project was to improve the village infrastructure and the villagers’ lives.
It was understood that the project under the Janda Baik Special Area Plan draft would consist of several plans, such as widening of road, expansion of four Janda Baik rivers, including Sungai Sum Sum, establishing e-hailing stations and recreational park, as well as building river dams and a low-rise housing development.
Villager Rosmina Kamarul Ariffin, 46, said no further development was necessary in the area as visitors wanted to experience an authentic village.
“They come here to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and experience real kampung living.
“What’s more important is for the authorities to fix the road and maintain the cleanliness of the rivers.”
Earlier, 35 Janda Baik villagers gathered at the Bentong Municipal Council where 1,544 Public Proposal and Objection forms were submitted to protest against the project.
There are 2,820 villagers in Janda Baik.
Hanifah Mohd Rabin, a representative of the protest, said the villagers were not consulted about the project.
“The authorities did not inform us about the matter and we only heard it from a few of the villagers here.
“We learnt that a meeting with the project consultant was held in October with representatives from the municipal council.”
He said the proposed international ecotourism attraction required approvals from the villagers and other parties before any work started.
“We urge the authorities to stop work on the project. We gave suggestions on ways to develop the village’s infrastructure but were ignored.
“We have no option but to fight the new development till the end.”
~New Straits Times~
No comments:
Post a Comment