WCE Clarifies Land Dispute In Kampung Jawa

“Legal Process Followed, Compensation Paid”

12-June-2025 by TRP

At the heart of the issue are a handful of landowners who have yet to vacate land legally acquired by the Federal Government for the expressway.

West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd (WCE) has responded to recent public concern over alleged wrongful evictions and the use of force in Kampung Jawa, Klang, in connection with the ongoing West Coast Expressway project.

The company has firmly denied any misconduct and reaffirmed its commitment to due process, transparency, and the rule of law.

At the heart of the issue are a handful of landowners who have yet to vacate land legally acquired by the Federal Government for the expressway. WCE says the situation has created confusion, and it’s time to set the record straight.

Compensation Has Been Paid
According to WCE, the compensation process was carried out in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act 1960. On 30 September 2023, a total of RM9.8 million in compensation was awarded by the Selangor Land & Mines Office after a formal land hearing regarding Lot 15762 (11113).

So far, RM7.4 million (75%) has already been disbursed:

• 14 landowners received direct payments.
• 19 landowners opted to receive payment via their appointed lawyers.

Land is Now Federal Property
Under Section 16 of the Land Acquisition Act, once 75% of the compensation has been paid and a Borang K is issued, the land officially becomes property of the Federal Government. From that point forward, the original owners no longer hold legal rights to occupy or remain on the land.

WCE emphasized that this legal process is structured to protect the rights of all parties and has been fully followed.

Court Challenges Don’t Delay Possession
While both the government and certain landowners have filed objections (via Borang N) to challenge the compensation amount, WCE clarified that these objections are only to settle the final figure and not to delay government possession.

In previous WCE land cases, landowners who received 75% of compensation proceeded to vacate the land while the court process continued in parallel.

Any claim suggesting that landowners are entitled to stay until court cases conclude is legally unfounded, WCE said.

Delays Impacting National Project
Despite compensation being paid since 2023, WCE stated that some landowners have stayed put for over 20 months, causing significant delays to the construction of the expressway; a major national infrastructure project connecting key highways like Federal Highway, KESAS, NKVE, and Grand Sepadu.

Denies Allegations of Force or Night Operations
WCE also addressed rumors circulating about aggressive or unauthorized site activity. The company stressed that all work is carried out by registered contractors, only during official working hours from 8am to 6pm.

Claims of night operations or intimidation tactics were labeled as “completely unfounded and inaccurate.”

Moving Forward: Clarity Over Conflict
West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd is urging all stakeholders, including affected landowners and members of the public, to respect the legal process and refrain from circulating misinformation that could harm public trust and disrupt progress.

With construction timelines at stake and public infrastructure hanging in the balance, WCE reaffirmed that it would not hesitate to take legal action if necessary to defend its integrity and ensure the expressway project moves forward responsibly.

WCE allowed time to challenge RM50mil land compensation

04-Aug-2025 by V Anbalagan | FMT

Court of Appeal says there is no appealable error by the High Court that warrants judicial intervention. The Court of Appeal has allowed West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd to challenge the compensation awarded to 15 landowners three years ago over the acquisition of land in Selangor despite a seven-month delay.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed 14 appeals against a High Court decision that granted West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd (WCE) more time to object to an award of nearly RM50 million in compensation to beneficial landowners affected by a highway project.
A three-member bench chaired by Justice Lim Chong Fong held that the High Court had properly exercised its discretion under Sections 35 and 38 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 (LAA) in allowing the extension.

“There was no appealable error that warranted judicial intervention,” said Lim, who sat with Justices Wong Kian Kheong and Alwi Abdul Wahab.

WCE’s objection to the compensation awarded by Selangor land authorities is scheduled to be heard by the High Court in Shah Alam on Sept 18.

The dispute stems from the acquisition of a 2.09ha portion of Lot 10478 in Mukim Klang, part of the land earmarked for the RM6 billion West Coast Expressway – a 233km route linking Banting in Selangor to Changkat Jering in Perak.

In May 2021, WCE, the highway concessionaire and ultimate paymaster for the acquisition, opted to withdraw from the initial acquisition and instead acquire a smaller 1.52ha portion.

The decision was driven by escalating project costs and a redesign of the highway alignment to reduce the required reserve and minimise structural impact.

This triggered fresh compensation proceedings under Section 35 of the LAA.

On Feb 7, 2022, 15 beneficial owners of 15 plots were awarded a total of RM49,935,546.50 in compensation for the withdrawal.

Of that sum, RM47,889,148.00 was attributed to business disruption costs over a 41-month period – despite the affected plots being classified as agricultural land.

WCE only received formal notification and a copy of the award (Form LC) in September 2022, seven months after the award was issued.

On Dec 8, 2022, the company applied for an extension of time under Section 38(4) of the LAA to file Form N and object to both the legality and quantum of the award.

On Dec 21 the following year, the High Court in Shah Alam allowed WCE’s application, finding that the delay was caused by the state authorities’ late service of Form LC, a fact expressly conceded by the authorities themselves.

This, the court held, constituted “special circumstances” warranting the exercise of judicial discretion in WCE’s favour.

The High Court also noted that WCE had acted promptly upon receiving the award and that no prejudice would be caused to the landowners as the application merely sought to enable substantive objections to be ventilated in land reference proceedings.

Lawyers Steven Thiru, David Ng and Ananthan Moorthi represented WCE, while G Thangadurai and Ong Siew Min appeared for the landowners.