The director-general of lands and mines said the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation would issue a letter of permission to the owners in Kampung Sungai Baru once the Form K (land take-over notice) was issued.

The department said the corporation, as the rightful holder of the flats, had no restrictions on the former owners continuing to live there until July 31.

Federal Territories minister Shahidan Kassim has also assured the residents that they would not have to move soon.

He said negotiations between the developer and the residents’ representatives were ongoing to find the best solution for both parties.

“There will be no eviction during the fasting month, it is (also) not possible to move after Raya,” he told reporters at a ministry event.

Shahidan said his ministry would always look after the welfare of residents in the Federal Territories.

On news reports that residents were disheartened after receiving the Form K, he said it was just a letter of notification and not an eviction notice. “This is a legal process to inform people and when it happened during the fasting month, people were taken aback,” he said.

About 40 families in the area, which is within the historic Malay settlement of Kampung Baru, have said they had been given eviction notices.

The lands and mines department said the flats are to make way for a major redevelopment which will affect 328 homes, 264 of which are flats, on a 6.8ha site.

Compensation payments had begun in stages since February, the department said. The compensation was in the range of RM198,000 to RM350,000.

The department said an accompanying letter had been issued to residents informing them that the flats are vested to the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation.

It said the land acquisition for the redevelopment of Kampung Sungai Baru was announced in June last year, involving 72 flats, 37 terrace houses and a TNB substation lot.