‘Mandor’ Saravanan gets the cold shoulder

A deputy minister's visit to the Bukil Jalil estate turns ugly when the residents started to boo him.

BUKIT JALIL: Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Deputy Minister M Saravanan yesterday paid a surprised visit to Ladang Bukit Jalil – and got a cold reception.

Saravanan, accompanied by Kuala Lumpur mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail, came there with a good intention – to give the residents a verbal assurance that their houses will not be demolished although the eviction notice served on them expired yesterday.

But the residents were unimpressed and pressed him to give the assurance in writing. They were also annoyed that he came unannounced.

The estate’s action committee secretary, S Thiakarajan, said he only heard about the visit from outside sources.

“Why did you not inform us that you are coming?” Thiakarajan asked. But Saravanan said he came to visit the newly built school, and not the estate. This got the residents all riled up and they started heckling him.

Saravanan tried to placate them: “ I am here to assure you that you will be able to celebrate Ponggal (harvest festival) tomorrow without having to worry about Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers.”

But his message went unheeded. The residents continued to boo him until an exasperated Saravanan told them the reason for his sudden appearance: he did not inform them because they had called him a called “mandor” (supervisor) when they visited him at the DBKL heaquarters late last year.

Police report

Earlier, Saravanan told the residents that DBKL would not tear down their houses and had also agreed to retain the temple and the cemetary at its current location.

When asked whether DBKL will issue land titles to the cemetery and the temple soon, he said the titles would only be given when the structures are relocated.

On the newly-built school – Ladang Bukit Jalil Tamil – he said it “will be fully aided by the government”.

He also said that the Human Resources Ministry and his ministry would meet within the next two weeks to discuss the residents’ demands.

“I understand that the residents have been seeking compensation for the years they have been working in the estate and also for low-cost housing despite being offered flats,” said Saravanan.

But Thiakarajan dismissed the proposed meeting between the two ministries, saying the residents would not accept any decision made if the estate committee was not included in the discussion.

“Do not make any decisions without consulting us,”said Thiakarajan.

Meanwhile, Thiakarajan said he would be lodging a police report against certain individuals who accompanied Saravanan for allegedly verbally harassing girls in the estate.

“Why did he (Saravanan) bring MIC members and gangsters to this place? They are just creating problems,” Thiakarajan claimed.