Bkt Jalil folk lodge police reports against Raja Nong Chik, DBKL

G Vinod | March 3, 2011

Irate Bukit Jalil folk claim City Hall's latest notice of eviction is flawed and without proper legal basis.

KUALA LUMPUR: Irked by a fresh eviction notice issued by Kumpur Lumpur City Hall ((DBKL), residents of Ladang Bukit Jalil lodged a police report against Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail.

The residents, consisting of 41 families, lodged individual reports at the Bukit Jalil police station today claiming the eviction notice was illegal.

The latest notice issued on March 1 set a 14-day deadline for the residents to vacate their premises and that their homes would be demolished the following day.

On Feb 23, Raja Nong Chik offered RM23,000 each to those who had worked in the rubber estate for more than 15 years and RM11,000 for the rest as compensation for them to leave the land.

He gave them one week to deliberate on the offer (March 2), failing which they will be evicted regardless of whether they took up the offer.

However, the minister’s directive drew flak from the residents who claimed they were not allowed to talk at the Feb 23 meeting with the minister and DBKL officials.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arutchelvan, speaking on behalf of the residents, said the notice issued to the families on March 1 is flawed.

“You can evict squatters under the Emergency Ordinance but these people are estate workers. So under what regulation are they evicting them?” asked Arutchelvan.

Nothing in black and white

However, DBKL officials said that the eviction notice was issued based on an understanding between Raja Nong Chik and the families on Feb 23.

Rubbishing the claim, Arutchelvan reminded the authorities that no such discussion took place as Raja Nong Chik had refused to let the residents put forward their case.

“The minister only made an announcement of the offer on Feb 23. He only made a verbal offer and there was nothing in black and white.

“That is why we wrote a letter to the minister on Feb 25 seeking a formal offer letter for deliberation, but we did not receive a reply,” said Arutchelvan.

The land now belongs to a private developer, Bukit Jalil Development Sdn Bhd, and Arutchelvan said it was improper of City Hall to issue eviction notices on the developer’s behalf.

“It looks like the government is assisting a private developer to evict the families,” said Arutchelvan.

Estate committee secretary, S Thiakarajan, said the residents are fed up with the authorities for treating them shoddily.

“Even illegal immigrants are treated better than us,” said Thiakarajan.