Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents told to seek legal redress

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has advised Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents who were unhappy with the closure of an access road into their housing area to take the matter to court.

"But be patient before the verdict is announced. They (the residents) are at liberty to seek legal redress," he told reporters at the parliament lobby here Thursday.

He said the main problem confronting the residents was that no alternative road was provided for them.

"It is a private road. The crux of the problem is the dispute between the developer and the house buyers because when they bought the houses, they (developer) told them it would be toll-free. It is up to the house buyers to take action against these people (the developer)," he said.

On allegations that police did not protect the residents when they were beaten up by a group of men on Tuesday night, Syed Hamid asked the residents to lodge a police report and provide proof.

"The police have been hurled with all sorts of accusation and if they have acted above the law, lodge a report," he said, adding that the duty of the police was to maintain public order and stop a conflict.

Meanwhile, About 30 residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras gathered outside the Dewan Rakyat Thursday to hand over a memorandum urging the government to reopen the access road into their housing area.

The memorandum registers the residents' regret over Grand Saga Sdn Bhd's lack of public empathy by constructing a barrier to the Cheras-Kajang Highway.

They began gathering outside the parliament gate at 9.30am before two of their representatives were allowed in accompanied by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang. The memorandum is believed to have been handed over to Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad.

The residents who flashed banners that state, "Menteri Kerja Raya Tolong Rakyat Buka Jalan" (Works Minister, Help the People Open Up the Road) dispersed at about 10.30am.

A concrete barricade was put up at the access road since 2006 to prevent Bandar Mahkota Cheras from entering the highway without paying toll at Batu 11, Cheras.

On Tuesday night, some residents were beaten up by a group of men with wood, helmets and iron pipes during a protest where the residents removed the barricade.

Bernama
30/05/08