Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir said his father had written to Ismail on May 9, urging the government to intervene. However, he had not heard back from Ismail.

Mukhriz said his father felt the residents’ grouses were reasonable.

“There seems to be a lot of injustice which should not have occurred and we want it rectified. For Pejuang, the historic Malay homes in the capital should not be touched,” he said after meeting residents here this evening.

Mukhriz said Mahathir had also urged the residents to write to the prime minister.

He said Pejuang will offer legal aid to residents to ensure that negotiations with the developers would not be one-sided and they would be fairly compensated.

“No one should dismiss the rights of the residents to demand to be compensated adequately. Whatever rate offered must be based on the current market value,” he said.

He said he was confident that the law would favour the residents.

Mukhriz said the evidence gathered by the residents appeared to show that a government representative and the developer were seeking to take advantage of the situation.

About 40 families in the area, which is within the historic Malay settlement of Kampung Baru, said in April that they had been given eviction notices but had been allowed to remain until July 31.

A majority are refusing to move on grounds that the settlement offered by the developer was unfair and that there had not been any proper negotiations.

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.

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