Govt to provide houses, shops to families of demolished houses

PUTRAJAYA: The federal government today extended its help to assist the families whose houses near the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport were demolished by Selangor authorities.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar (pix) said the ministry had agreed to provide accomodation to the affected families following the incapability of state government in finding solution to the issue.
"We have discussed and they (the families) have agreed. I have given my immediate approval and we will give them the keys to their houses and shophouses on Tuesday," he told reporters after opening the 2017 National JMB/MC Convention opening ceremony at Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
However, it was unknown whether the accomodation would be provided for free, with Noh saying more details would be provided next week.
The homes and shops were demolished by local authorities on Wednesday amid protests by the families and several political figures, sparking wide criticisms, directed at the state government over its handling of the issue.
The demolition of the houses, which were occupied by former airport mosque committee members, was carried out after the families were evicted from their homes where they had lived in the land own by the Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd since 1996.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali earlier had blamed Noh for failing to halt the demolition, citing that the land belonged to the federal government.
In refuting Azmin's remarks, Noh said the status of the land was not the main question to the whole issue, but more on who that had greenlit the demolition.
"The local council and district office (which led the demolition) are under whose jurisdiction? If they were under my ministry, I would have made a phone call and told them not to demolish," he said.
"Even if the land was under federal, why can't they postpone (the demolition)? I am a lawyer, I know that it can be postponed," he said.